First Comes Marriage
by mysterymoon
Summary: Astoria wants to take Scorpius away from Draco out of plain spite. When he turns to Hermione with a request to help him keep his son, will she accept? And what will happen when they have to live under the same roof, and pretend to love each other? Version 2.0
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

 **15 March 2005**

"Hey, Hermione, do you have a minute?"

Hermione Granger looked up from the file she had been reviewing and smiled brightly at her secretary, Lila.

It had been almost seven years since the war had ended, and two years since she had taken over as Education Secretary of the British Wizarding World. She had returned in the September after the war to get her N.E.W.T.'s, while Harry and Ron had taken a year away from the public eye. It had been a hard decision for her to not join them, but Hermione's logical side had been unable to fathom the idea of remaining without a complete education. After an internship in the MLE offices, she had spent three years flitting between Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and MLE, never really being able to make up her mind on which area she really wanted to focus in on. With Harry and Ron caught up in training in the Auror department, she had felt almost…lost. She hated to admit it, but she had been in a solid group for years, and being left on her own for the first time had left her unsure of her work.

Then, when Minister Kingsley had approached her with the position of Education Secretary, everything had changed. It was something she had never considered, but a position that seemed so obvious for her. She had quickly settled in, started rebuilding Hogwarts, launched several initiatives in conjunction with other departments to provide opportunities to better the education system. She was truly happy with her job, no matter how long it had taken her to get there.

"Yes, what's going on?" she gestured for Lila to come into her office.

"I have a couple of messages for you," Lila said, flipping through her notepad. "Mr. Robards owled saying they want to add a change to the magical creatures curriculum at Hogwarts. Headmistress McGonagall also owled saying she wants to meet with you and Hagrid before the next director's meeting to discuss this agenda item."

"What kind of amendment are we talking about?" Hermione asked.

"He said that they want to review the creatures in the curriculum, and restrict the dangerous ones to in class learning, and only allow other animals in demonstrations."

"And how do they expect the students will learn from a set of pictures? And how will they assure that Hogwarts' curriculum will satisfy the requirements for the students going forward in the field?" Hermione rolled her eyes, and made a note in her meeting file. "Can you please let Professor McGonagall know I'll be visiting her in the morning tomorrow?"

Lila nodded, and made a note to remind herself. "And Mr. Malfoy's office left a message saying that the plans and blueprints have been submitted for review."

"Oh, that's earlier than I expected," Hermione remarked.

"They said they'd like to set up a meeting to go over the plans around three today. Can I confirm you'll be there?"

"That would be great," Hermione smiled. "Thanks, Lila!"

"No problem, Hermione," Lila smiled back and stood up to leave the office. "You are coming with us tonight, right?"

Hermione paused. "Yes?"

"Hermione."

"I said yes!" Hermione protested over Lila's accusatory tone.

"And I know by your tone you really meant no," Lila cocked an eyebrow.

"No, I'll be there," Hermione said.

"Promise?"

"Promise," Hermione said. "Although I really don't know why you're fussing over this-"

"Because you've cancelled three times this month alone."

It was true. Lila and her boyfriend, David, had tried to set Hermione up with David's friend Mark repeatedly, even offering to go on a double date with them, but Hermione had always cancelled for some reason or the other.

She and Ron had given their relationship a shot after the war ended. The long distance, and the very fundamental differences in the two had led to an amicable breakup not soon after. She had ventured into the dating world now and then, but nothing had stuck with her, and she found herself happy in the life she was living. She wasn't averse to the idea of a relationship, but it wasn't something she found herself craving or actively looking for. When it happened, it would happen. And while she appreciated Lila's efforts, she just wasn't interested right now.

But she would go tonight, for Lila's sake. Lila had quickly become one of her closest friends once she had taken over the position as Hermione's assistant. The girl had been two years behind Hermione at Hogwarts, and was incredibly smart. She had come up with multiple ideas that the department had implemented successfully. It hadn't taken any serious effort from either side for the two to hit it off as though they had known each other all their lives.

"I promise I'll be there tonight," Hermione said, trying to keep the begrudging tone in her voice at bay.

"Good," Lila said. "I'll set your calendar reminder for the Malfoy meeting then."

"Thanks, Lila," Hermione said, and picked up her quill to continue her work.

"Oh, and Hermione?" Lila peeked back in after a minute. "Wear something sexy tonight. Don't show up in your work clothes like last time. "

"Got it, Mother," Hermione joked, and shook her head. Yes, she was very glad things had turned out the way they had.

* * *

 **(A/N: Sorry about the formatting previously. I don't know why was malfunctioning because in the preview it was normal. It's fixed now, so hope you enjoy reading it!)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **15 March 2005**

"Hello, Ida," Hermione smiled at the middle-aged witch behind the desk. "Is he ready for me?"

"Hello, Hermione," Ida greeted her, and stood up to grab her coat. "You can go right in."

Hermione thanked the lady, and pushed open the door to what she knew was Draco Malfoy's office.

Yes, Hermione Granger was working with Draco Malfoy. If only someone had told her twelve- year old self that she would have an amicable working relationship with the boy who had endlessly worked to bully her.

But that was all in the past now. He was no longer that boy. And while they may not be friends, they had worked together really well.

It had all started six months ago. Hermione's office had received a request for a meeting with the head of Malfoy Enterprises, and Hermione had hesitantly accepted, thinking she would be going into a meeting with Lucius Malfoy.

The Malfoy's had gotten off rather easily for their crimes during the war thanks to Narcissa Malfoy's lie, that had saved Harry, and indirectly, the entire Wizarding World. The Malfoy patriarch was fined, and placed under house arrest for a year, while Narcissa and Draco Malfoy had simply been let go with a fine. Granted the fines were massive, but they were nothing compared to what their punishment could have been. Fortunately, the Malfoy's hadn't taken their good fortune lightly. No one knew the dynamics of what went on behind the scenes, but the Malfoy's had buckled down soon after the war. Their company, Malfoy Enterprises, had broken off all connections to dark magic, and had rebranded its image. They had launched several rehabilitation initiatives for the community, and offered programs to help business owners get back on their feet. There were still doubts in the minds of the general public about whether or not they were genuine, but everyone had accepted their efforts, and for the most part, let them be.

Hermione herself had very serious doubts about the purpose behind their actions when she had first read about them in the paper, and had taken these doubts into her first meeting.

 _"Malfoy?" Hermione's jaw dropped. She had not been expecting Draco Malfoy behind the desk._

 _"Miss Granger," Draco stood up and offered his hand, further shocking Hermione._

 _Hermione didn't take his hand, and continued to try and process what was happening._

 _"Please, have a seat, so I can explain," Draco said, hiding his surprise rather well when she actually listened. He had been expecting a much tougher fight._

 _"I apologize, I wasn't expecting to see you," Hermione said after a brief silence. She was a true professional, and made up her mind not to be rude until it was warranted in the current situation. She would listen to what he had to say, and then leave politely._

 _"Well, my father is CEO, but I handle all day- to- day operations and all the bigger projects the company is working on," Draco explained, relieved that she was calm and not hexing him out the door of his own office._

 _"Oh," Hermione said dumbly. "So why have you asked me here?"_

He had gone on to blow her mind. Malfoy Enterprises wanted to fund a new school, one for squibs. Squibs were rarely allowed out of the house, Draco had reasoned, and allowing them to gain an education tailored for people like them would give them a chance to make their own way in life. Not to mention, it would allow for some much-needed open mindedness in one of the few areas that was still attracted old fashioned thoughts. Hermione had openly gawked at the man.

Either someone was using polyjuice to imitate Draco Malfoy, or aliens had taken over his body. How had the boy who had been such a purist grow up to think in new and open ways? Even Hermione herself had never considered such an idea, and she was usually the crusader of all equality rights. In fact, no one had ever thought of this, and the fact that Draco Malfoy had come up with it was shocking.

Hermione had been equally as shocked when he had placed a thick file in front of her detailing all the plans, the budgeting, and even an outline of the curriculum.

It had not been an easy decision. The idea was brilliant, but it would require her to work with Draco Malfoy, the boy who had relentlessly tried to make her and the boys' life miserable at Hogwarts, the boy who had almost murdered Dumbledore, the boy who had stood there while she had writhed in agony in his ancestral home. How could she put it behind her, ignore the obvious, and work with him as though everything was okay? A million ideas ran through her head. Maybe she could implement the idea all on her own, for it was too wonderful to not be followed through. But that would be plain cheating, and the dutiful student in her had immediately shot it down. Then, she was sorely tempted to leave him to his own defenses, but she knew there would be instances where she would have to be involved in the approvals and registration procedures anyway, and her non-cooperation could not be the reason behind students losing out on an education. Even appointing a liaison from her office was not a solution, as she was head, and the final approval had to come from her. And Hermione knew herself well. Once the process started, there was no way she could be content with standing at the bylines and signing off on things that came across her desk. She would be unable to resist adding her own thoughts and ideas. And it all came back to the children for her. This was an amazing opportunity, and there was no way Hermione could not not agree with it. She had replied a week later to say yes.

The six months following that meeting had been rather…eventful. They started off as being incredibly awkward around each other, trying to remain professional and civil, and trying to understand how to avoid their past. He didn't want to bring up his mistakes, and she didn't want to bring up everything that had happened. Within a month, they had become comfortable enough to let the other know they were wrong, which turned out to be an everyday affair. It wasn't uncommon for Hermione's department and Draco's employees to stifle a laugh as they watched their bosses bicker and argue over some aspect of their plans.

It was still bizarre to Hermione, though. She had seen Draco Malfoy almost every single day for the last six months, far more than her interactions with Harry and Ron in that time frame. And it was almost therapeutic. She absolutely loved the work they were doing. It had been truly amazing to move out of her routine of meetings with Hogwarts' directors or some playschool's director, and be able to design a unique curriculum. She almost felt like a student again, researching and learning about different kinds of magical fields they could introduce at the school, deciding upon the workings once it opened, drafting a first roster.

And she was surprised to find that Draco was intimately involved with the project too. She had expected him to delegate it to one of his staff once she accepted, but he had taken on the role of the liaison himself, interjecting when he felt she wasn't right and bringing up his own ideas.

She wouldn't consider them friends; two people are friends when they talk outside work. They were work associates, and that was perfectly fine with her. As long as they could work well, nothing else mattered.

"Hey," Hermione said, closing the door to his office behind her.

"Hello," he said, gesturing that she take a seat without even looking up at her. "What do you think of this plan for the common room?"

Hermione set her bag at her feet, and leaned forward, ready to get to work.

* * *

 **(To be continued)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 **25 March 2005**

Hermione gave herself one last look in the mirror, grabbing her lipstick to touch up the faded spots. She had no idea why she was so nervous. It wasn't like this was her first date or that she was a teenager. She was a grown woman who had been on plenty of dates, but her heart still beat nervously.

Mark, David's friend, had owled her soon after their double date with Lila and David, asking for a solo date with her. Unfortunately for her, Lila had been in her office at the time, and had intercepted the owl, forcing her to say yes. It wasn't that Mark was boring, because he wasn't. He was a healer, handsome to boot, smart, and had even made her laugh. It was just…not right. She didn't feel connected to him. And it was frustrating. He had read so many of the same books she had, travelled to many of the same destinations she had, but their conversations were still marred by silences. There was something off, but Hermione would give it her best shot.

That was the reason she decided to dress up. She had pulled out one of her favorite red dresses from the back of the closet, and put on her most fancy heels. She refused to give into the common notion of her being a frigid lady. No, today, she was going to be sexy Hermione.

Before she could consider changing her bright red lipstick for something more muted for the hundredth time, her doorbell rang, and she quickly grabbed her purse and wand, and answered the door.

"Hey," Mark smiled, and Hermione smiled at the appreciative glance he roamed over her. "These are for you." He held out a bouquet of light pink roses, and Hermione stepped aside, inviting him in.

"They're beautiful," she said. "I'll go put them in water. Would you like something to drink?"

"No, I'm fine," he said, seating himself on her sofa and looking around. "You have a beautiful house."

"Oh, thank you," Hermione said, filling up a glass vase with water from the kitchen sink. "I'll give you a tour, if you'd like."

"Oh," Mark said simply. "Sure, yeah, that sounds great."

"Just give me a second, and I'll-"

Hermione was cut off by a loud tapping against her window. She set the vase down, and pushed open the window to see a familiar owl sitting on her ledge. It was Draco's owl.

She curiously untied the scroll from the bird's feet, and absent-mindedly placed the bowl of owl treats she kept near her window in front of the owl. Draco never owled her at this time. It was usually on the weekends or in the mornings with something urgent.

 _Granger,_

 _There's been an accident at the site and the Ministry inspector is threatening to shut down the project._

 _I'll meet you at the site._

 _Draco Malfoy_

What? What could have possibly happened? And shut down the project? She would have to go right now. She rushed to her living room, and grabbed her wand before she realized Mark was sitting on her sofa, and looking at her in confusion.

"I'm so sorry to do this," she went closer to him. "There's been an emergency, and I have to go right now."

"Is everyone okay?" Mark said, standing up in front of her.

"Yeah, it's a work emergency," Hermione said, desperately trying not to be rude and push him out of her house.

"Oh, isn't there someone else who could look into it? We-"

"Let's just reschedule," Hermione said quickly. "I'm so sorry, but I really have to go now."

Before he could say anything, Hermione had ushered him out and shut the door. He even heard the crack of apparition not a second later.

He sighed, before apparating back to his apartment.

He'd left his coat at her place.

* * *

 **(To be continued)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **25 March 2005**

"Hello, do you know where I can find Draco Malfoy?" Hermione asked a group of workers huddled near the site entrance that now had two guards keeping everyone out.

"Sorry, no," the workers said, before getting back to their conversation.

Hermione frowned, and pushed her way to the front.

"Excuse me, sorry," she spoke to one of the guards.

"You can't go in," the man said, his voice gruff and uninterested.

"No, I wasn't- I just want to know if you know where-"

"Granger," Draco's voice called suddenly, and Hermione stood on her tiptoes to try and locate him in the crowd. He was pushing his way toward her, seemingly an impossible task given the nearly hundred workers trying to figure out what had happened.

"Draco, what's going on?" Hermione asked when he had finally reached the front.

"Apparently, one of the workers had a couple of minor priors, and got into a fight with two others, and one of them fell from the first floor," Draco explained, an angry frown settled on his features.

"What? Is he-"

"Yeah, he's fine," Draco said. "Supervisor took him to St. Mungo's. But apparently the Ministry found out, and sent an inspector, who is a complete arse, and the guy says that we are allegedly missing some of our paperwork and that our safety precautions aren't in place."

"But I personally checked that we _and_ the architect had all the paperwork," Hermione said, her voice getting louder with her frustration.

"Exactly!" Draco said, running a hand through his hair. "And he's pissed that we're working a night shift."

"What? We're allowed to do that, I personally filed and got the approval for that!"

"Look, is there anything you can do? Or someone you can call about this? We really cannot afford this delay, and you know I wouldn't-"

"It's fine, where is this guy anyway?" Hermione asked, and Draco pointed in the direction of the inspector who was chatting with one of the guards further inside the site.

Judging by the way Hermione stormed toward him, and the look she gave the security guard before being allowed to enter, that man was in for the shock of his life, and Draco could not wait to witness it. And he bloody well deserved what he had coming.

Draco quietly followed, gesturing toward Hermione when the guard looked at him daringly. It was wonderful what the tiny woman could do in scaring even the largest man around when she was angry.

"Excuse me," Hermione said loudly to the man, interrupting what looked like one of the funniest jokes he had ever heard.

"Yes?"

"Are you the inspector from the Ministry?"

"Yes," the man said, a haughty lilt accompanying his answers.

"I'd like to see your credentials," Hermione said, holding out a hand in anticipation.

"Pardon me?" his voice was now laced with confusion.

"Your ministry published credentials, please?" Hermione flashed a large and fake smile at the man.

The man patted down his robes, and pulled out the identification card, and slapped it rather rudely in her waiting hand.

"Hmm, you're under Mr. Farnsworth, are you not, Mr. Jeffries?" Hermione said, studying the card intently.

"Yes, and how do you know this?"

"Because I've worked with him," Hermione said, standing up even straighter. "Does he know you're here, Mr. Jeffries?"

"He doesn't bother with everyday tasks, Miss. Now please leave this site, or I shall-"

"The Ministry requires that you provide me with a detailed list of the missing documentation for this project first, Sir," Hermione said. "I'd like to see that right now."

"Look here, I've done my job correctly, and I've given Mr. Malfoy all the information I-"

"I didn't doubt your work ethic," Hermione cut him off. "I'd like to see that list right now, or I could contact Mr. Farnsworth and ask him to take a closer look at this case."

"Fine," the man huffed, and pulled out a scroll and handed it to Hermione, carefully looking for any indication of trouble as she perused it.

"You have no case here, Mr. Jeffries," Hermione said, rolling the parchment back and handing it back to the man. "I have all the forms listed, or their equivalent, approved by the Ministry."

"I've checked your records, and I would have let you go, but you are missing your safety supervisor record ABX-E52, your night shift permit GJY-O44, and your trespassing equipment as listed under architecture law ECN-N08. This is simply unacceptable, and highly dangerous, so I would suggest you do your research before trying to threaten me."

"Oh, I didn't threaten you," Hermione said coolly. "And I would suggest you start studying again, Sir, because I did fill in the updated supervisor record PYF-D45, which was passed in 2003, my night shift permit with the detailed schedule as per the 2001 record AMI-Z90 and my trespassing equipment is clearly all outside, placed exactly under the 2003 record LFB-V68. I worked in MLE, so I _have_ done all my research. Now open the wards, and let our work go on."

The man looked at Hermione, then Draco, and then back to Hermione again.

"If any of that turns out to be incorrect, I will shut this place down, and for good," the man said violently, before flicking his wand at the gate to vanish the "closed" sign and apparating away.

The workers instantly ran in, pushing the guards away in the process, and began cheering around Hermione and Draco.

Draco simply looked at Hermione, and smiled, clearly impressed with her work.

"Holy shit, Granger," Draco said later, once the workers had all gone home early to celebrate their victory. "You stood up to a ministry official!"

"I know!" Hermione said, smiling widely. "I can't believe I did that."

"I totally knew this was going to happen," Draco said. "How did it feel though? The look on his face. It took all I had to not laugh."

"It felt amazing," Hermione admitted, giggling as though a naughty child.

"He had it coming too, doubting Hogwarts' very own library queen's research," Draco laughed.

"And aren't you glad I was?" Hermione asked defiantly.

"Definitely," Draco agreed, and then cleared his throat awkwardly. "So, what plans now?"

"Well, my date got cancelled thanks to our lovely Mr. Jeffries, so I'm probably going to go home and watch some telly before I go off to sleep. I live a very interesting life, you see," she laughed.

"Oh, is that why you're wearing such fancy clothes?" Draco asked.

Hermione looked down and realized she was in her red dress. The dress she had put on to impress Mark. The Mark she had quite literally pushed out of her house.

"Yeah, I suppose so," she sighed. "Well, everything looks fine here, so I'm off then."

Draco nodded. "Good night."

"Good night," she said, and apparated away.

* * *

 **(To be continued)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 **28 March 2005**

"David told me that Mark told him you threw him out of your house before your date had even begun, "Lila walked into Hermione's office without bothering to knock. "Hermione, you need to live a life outside this office."

"I do," Hermione defended herself.

"What did you do all weekend?" Lila folded her arms across her chest and tapped a finger against her arm. "Go on then."

"I went out on Saturday," Hermione said.

"Oh, really," Lila said, cocking an eyebrow at her. "Where did you go?"

"Just, you know, around," Hermione said.

"No, really, I don't know, so please elaborate," Lila said.

"Lila, please," Hermione said, knowing her friend had caught her. She didn't blame Lila for being so protective of her either. She had done the same for her two years ago when Lila had been dating Michael Corner. The guy had been cheating on her, and Hermione had stayed on Lila's case until she broke up with the guy. Not long after, she had met David, and was now much happier than she had been.

"Was there something wrong with Mark?"

"No, he's perfectly fine," Hermione said. "The whole emergency thing just took over me, and I had to go."

"You could have owled me, and I could've handled it," Lila said.

"I have no doubt, but at that time I didn't know what had happened, and I just had to go," Hermione explained.

"Fine," Lila conceded. "Should I drop a hint that he should owl you?"

"No, I'll owl him," Hermione said.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Okay," Lila smiled. "Do it today though."

"Yes, I'll do it right now," Hermione said, and picked up a fresh parchment to show her as proof.

"Good girl," Lila laughed. "I have some pasta salad. Do you want some?"

"When would I ever say no to your pasta salad?" Hermione said mockingly.

"Great, now write," Lila said, and shut the door behind her.

Hermione kept her promise, and began to write a sincere apology for her actions.

 _Dear Mark,_ she wrote, _I feel terrible about what happened on Friday. I really-_

Before she could continue, however, an owl flew into her office. She grabbed the letter from its feet, and opened it, abandoning her previous task.

 _Can we meet in a half hour to discuss our meeting with the investors tomorrow?_

 _Also, can we do it at my house? I'll leave the wards open for you._

 _Draco Malfoy_

Hermione replied with a quick agreement, asking for his address, even though she was very confused as to the reason behind the location of their meeting. They never met outside either of their offices, but Hermione shrugged it off, knowing it must be important to make such a change.

She simply shook her head, and reached across her table for her pile of binders, picking the one on the top to review until she had to leave.

A half hour later, she had managed to review three projects, and was incredibly satisfied with her work. She muttered a quick locking charm at her door, grabbed her bag, and floo'd to the address he had sent in his reply.

When Hermione opened her eyes, she found herself in a massive and elegantly decorated drawing room. It wasn't Malfoy Manor, as she knew the ancestral home had been demolished from a report in the newspaper. And this room was nowhere as big as the rooms of a centuries old traditional mansion. So, this must be Draco's personal home, she thought as she looked around.

The room was bigger than her living room and kitchen combined, and was rather tastefully decorated in shades of white and grey, the only relief coming from the metallic tones in the lighting fixtures, and the green from the plants. Aside from the size, the main difference between her apartment and this room was the lack of human personality. It was a beautiful room, but not a single photo adorned the walls. The shelves were decorated with crystal trinkets and brass figurines, and not stuffed with photo frames and old memories. She supposed it all boiled down to their childhoods. Her parents had photos from every little occasion on their walls, and her drawings as a child were stuck to their fridge. She could never imagine the elder Malfoys sticking one of Draco's drawings to any wall.

She set her bag in a corner, and slowly made her way out of the room, walking into an equally large living room, and this room was more casual. In fact, there was even a basket full of plush toys.

"Hello," a small voice interrupted her observations. "Who are you?"

* * *

 **(To be continued)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

 **28 March 2005**

Hermione took in the little boy in front of her. He barely came up to her knee, but stood with confidence in his stance. He was dressed in a plain black tshirt and khaki shorts, and from his features, there was no doubt he was a Malfoy. He had the same pale, clear skin she had seen over the last six months, and his hair was the same palest blonde, only messier than her work partner. She even thought his nose was the exact replica of Draco's, but there was a softness to his features too, something she attributed to his age, around four or five, by her approximations.

The only question left was whether this was Draco's brother or son, and the first was highly unlikely. She knew Draco was married from his ring, and from his engagement announcement in the papers, but she had no idea he had a child. He had never even mentioned a child. But then again, he barely mentioned anything other than work to her.

"I'm Hermione Granger," she cleared her throat, and moved toward the boy. "What's your name?"

"Scorpius," the boy said, suddenly shy.

She held out a hand, and bent slightly in front of him. "Well, it's lovely to meet you, Sir."

The boy shook her hand softly, regarding her with suspicion.

"Why are you here?"

"Oh, I came to meet Draco," Hermione explained. "Why are you all alone here?"

"I was playing hide-and-seek with Missy, and then I heard something so I came here," Scorpius explained.

"I was always really good at hide-and-seek," Hermione smiled, kneeling in front of him now.

"But I am really good. Missy and Sully can never find me. Daddy says it's because I'm small, so I hide anywhere," Scorpius said, the haughty Malfoy smile gracing his young features.

"Is that so?" Hermione laughed. "Well, we will have to play sometime so we can see who really is the best at hide-and-seek."

"I am," the young boy said confidently. "I practice with Jackie, and if I can't see her, then I hide there next time, and no one can find me."

"Who is Jackie?" Hermione asked.

"Come, I'll show you," Scorpius said, grabbing her hand, and leading her to a box behind the sofa. He opened the lid, and pulled out a stuffed dragon.

"This is Jackie," he held the toy out to Hermione.

"Wow, she's really cool," Hermione said, holding the toy, and kneeling once again.

"Yes, she's my favorite," Scorpius said excitedly.

"And which other toys do you like?" Hermione asked, peering into the box. It was full of the most basic to the most expensive and elusive toys in the market, as she knew from visiting Harry, Ginny, and baby James.

"Last Christmas, Daddy got me a Quidditch game, and I love that, but Mother lost two players and one of the hoops, so now I have to wait to fix that."

"Wait for what?"

"To save money."

"And why is that?" Hermione asked, confused. Surely Draco could afford to buy a couple of the loose pieces to complete the game.

"So I can go buy the hoop again," Scorpius explained. "But Nana said she'll give me some money next time so I can have enough. Don't tell Daddy, though."

Hermione nodded. It seemed like Draco wasn't overly extravagant with his son's toys, and she could appreciate that. "I promise I won't."

"How do you know my Daddy?" Scorpius asked after a pause.

"I went to school with him actually," Hermione said honestly. "We went to Hogwarts together."

"So you're his friend, like Uncle Theo and Aunt Pansy," Scorpius said.

Hermione considered speaking the truth, but that would just lead to a complicated situation and too many follow-up questions.

"Yes, I suppose I am," Hermione said, and smiled at Scorpius.

"And do you know Mother?" Scorpius asked, and Hermione was suddenly very curious. She had honestly forgotten Draco's fiancée's name for the reports.

"What's her name?" Hermione asked. "Maybe I do."

"Her name is-"

"Granger, is that you?" a familiar voice cut him off.

Hermione quickly stood up from behind the couch, and dusted off her skirt.

"Daddy!" Scorpius screamed, and ran towards his father.

"Missy has been looking all over the house for you, young man," Draco said, and picked his son up. The resemblance was even more striking now that they were so close. Scorpius could have easily passed as a young Draco, only without the sneer she had always associated with him when they were at Hogwarts. And well, he was a lot friendlier than his father.

"I was here, talking to…" Scorpius said, trailing off as he realized he had forgotten Hermione's name.

"Miss Hermione," Draco whispered to his son.

"Miss Hernine," Scorpius repeated, causing Hermione to laugh.

"Her-my-one," Draco said slowly.

"Her-nyone," Scorpius repeated.

Hermione intervened then, knowing that the many syllables in her name were going to be impossible for the young child to get in a short time. "You can just call me 'Mione if you'd like. All my friends call me that."

"'Mione," Scorpius said slowly, trying the name out. "I like that. You're my friend now?"

"Of course," Hermione said, and winked at him before adding. "Only friends have secrets, right?"

Scorpius laughed, and nodded.

"What is this about a secret, then?" Draco asked his son.

"Daddy!" Scorpius laughed even harder. "Only 'Mione and I can know, because only we are friends."

"Oh, is that so?" Draco said. "We'll see about that next time you want some of my ice cream. I only share ice-cream with my friends."

"Daddy's are supposed to share ice-cream," Scorpius said, taken aback by his father's declaration.

"We'll see," Draco said, a smile threatening to lift the corners of his straight mouth. "Now go find Missy, and ask her to get you your glass of milk before you get ready to go to Kian's house, okay?"

"Can I have chocolate milk?" Scorpius asked, struggling to get free from his father's hold, and go play at his friend's house.

"That's your one time this week, then. Are you sure you want to use it today?" Draco asked.

Scorpius pondered over the question, and then nodded. "Mark it as today, Daddy. Bye, 'Mione." He skipped away without another word, and ran to find Missy.

"Sorry, he likes to talk a lot," Draco said, turning to Hermione.

"Oh, no, he's a lovely child," she quickly said. "I didn't know you had a son."

"Oh," Draco said. "Yeah, I do."

Hermione nodded. "So, do you have the notes for the agenda then?"

* * *

 **(To be continued)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

 **28 March 2005**

Draco flopped back on his king-sized bed, his body half on and half off the mattress. He was exhausted.

He had been exhausted since had turned sixteen. Of course, now the reason wasn't family pressure and a raving lunatic and murderer, but his work and his son, who loved running around and into trouble.

He wasn't ungrateful, for he loved his son with everything he had. His life now was a thousand times better than it had been when he was sixteen. His worries were different now, but he invited those worries, because each of them reminded him of the long journey he had taken to get here, and all the wonderful things he had received as a result.

When he was twenty, his parents had approached him with various options for his future, namely, his future bride. As Malfoy heir, it was his duty to continue the line, and his father wanted him to get married into a family that had remained neutral during the war. The Malfoy's had worked on amending their actions during the war, but their social standing was still in the lowest level. Going out into Diagon Alley meant getting sneers and abuses, and even some hexes, thrown their way. Their business was close to getting shut, and the Ministry had taken over their ancestral home. Nothing good was associated with their name, and they even contemplated relocating to a different continent.

Then Philip Greengrass had approached Lucius with a business offer. He would invest in Malfoy Enterprises without expectations of becoming a shareholder, if Draco married one of his daughters. Lucius had reasoned with Draco in every way possible, about their business getting back to the top again, about their family being able to go out and say that they had changed with proof of an alliance with a non-dark related family, and that they would finally regain some of their old standing due to the connections that came with the Greengrass family.

Draco had agreed, knowing that finding a wife was a necessity for him as heir, and that with the way things were for him and his family, no girl would agree to date him anyway. He had never been brought up with the idea of a love marriage anyway, so it wasn't a struggle to get him to accept.

Daphne Greengrass had quickly refused, stating that she was dating Graham Montague, and expecting a proposal soon after. Astoria Greengrass had been happy to accept his proposal, given his reputation in Slytherin in their early school years, and the two announced their betrothal soon after the customary two-month courtship.

Draco personally found the girl…average. She was beautiful, and her parents had taken great care to make sure she passed as the perfect Pureblood wife. She could more than handle herself in formal settings, she knew all the customs of the Pureblood society, and she was very comfortable in the role of the woman of the house. She would order the elves to set up a room perfectly when they entertained, and there was no denying that she was capable of throwing some of the best society events. But there was no loving connection between Draco and her.

It wasn't her, and it wasn't him. They were simply not perfect together. Draco couldn't discuss anything with her, because the same topics rarely interested her. Astoria would excitedly tell him about some gossip she had heard at her most recent tea party, and he would simply shrug, disinterested in the people she was talking about. So, he had taken to modelling his own marriage after his own parents'. He remained devoted and faithful to her, but didn't expect to magically fall in love, no pun intended, and was simply content with having her company.

When both sets of parents had begun hinting for a grandchild, they had agreed, and not much later, Scorpius Lucius Malfoy had come into the world, and changed Draco's the second he was laid in his arms.

Draco had been secretly terrified the entire time Astoria was pregnant. He would be completely silent when they would visit the Healer to ensure everything was okay, and he had remained still and in shock when the Healer had projected the baby's heartbeat for the first time. He was terrified that he would fail the baby. Terrified that the baby wouldn't connect with him, or be scared of him. He was terrified he didn't know how to be a father, and a good role model for his child. What if the baby grew up hating him when he heard of his past misdeeds? What if the baby grew up to be a snobbish brat because Draco just pacified him with money and trinkets as his own father had? What if the baby grew up surrounded by insults because he was a Malfoy?

That day, Draco Malfoy had buckled down, and promised himself and his unborn child that he would do everything in his power to make a supportive, loving, and safe world for his child. He promised that his child would have everything he or she needed, and want for nothing they didn't need. That his child would love him and respect him, and not be afraid of him or hate him. He knew those promises would be hard to keep, but he tried his hardest. He began taking an active role in the company, and quickly turned over to more charitable conquests.

Where the company dealt with trade and money before, it now dealt with helping recuperation efforts along, building charities for various causes, and helping the society in general. He personally spent hours looking into proposals, deciding which one to prioritize, and putting all plans into motion. He did it all due to the fear he had.

When he finally entered the room where his son lay for the first time though, the fear disappeared. Now, he wanted it simply because he loved his son. It was all weird, because he didn't think he could experience a love like this, thinking he was incapable of something this strong and good, and he didn't think it would be for someone he had known for not even a minute. So, he had cried, and he had wept. Cried for everything he had done, and wept for the second chance he didn't deserve, but had received.

Astoria was trained to be a typical Pureblood wife, and had entrusted Scorpius to the house elves' care. But Draco had refused to allow that for himself. No, he stayed up with Scorpius when he refused to fall asleep, using his wand to gently rock the crib back and forth until he finally fell asleep. He woke up every time he cried, and held him, fed him, bathed him, played with him, until he was pacified. He had cried at Scorpius' first smile, laughed with pride when he rolled over for the first time, held his hand as he took his first steps, and wiped away the tears when he scraped his knee falling off his toy broom.

Scorpius was his entire existence, and he was proud to be his father. He had made sure that Scorpius was a loving boy, a kind person, a sweet child, everything he was not. He taught him to treat the house elves as friends, and the animals in the gardens as mates. He had his moments, as most toddlers do, but Draco was never afraid to put him down and explain why he was wrong and what he should've done. And given the fact that Scorpius idolized his father, he was never one to throw a second tantrum after being spoken to once.

Astoria always admonished Draco for his personal care and involvement with Scorpius. She was always taught to believe that children needed to be tended to by the house elves, and only needed to talk to their parents at occasions or when spoken to. Internally, she also hated that Draco doted on Scorpius, and barely acknowledged her presence in a room anymore. He was either at work, playing with Scorpius, or working at home when Scorpius was asleep.

He didn't care or ask about her day, or what was happening in her life. After months of fighting, she had left for her parents' home for a week, and came back a changed woman. She stopped fighting, stopped caring about Draco, stopped caring about Scorpius. Draco was thankful for the most part. She had free access to his money, and as long as she didn't fight anymore, he was unbothered by how much she had spent in a single day at Madame Malkin's. He only wished she wouldn't ignore Scorpius, because the boy clearly felt his mother's cold behavior towards him. After an unsuccessful argument over the topic, Draco had left her alone, reasoning that he was enough for Scorpius to feel loved and wanted, and that the peace in his house was more valuable than forcing her to revert to her old ways.

What he hadn't expected was last Friday's events.

He had walked in incredibly late after the site debacle, and proceeded straight to Scorpius' room to check if he was alright and asleep. When he had finally made his way to the master suite, he had found Astoria on the settee, up beyond her usual time, and clearly in wait for him.

 _"It's 11:30, Draco," she had started._

 _"There was an emergency at work, and I had to go," Draco said, unbuttoning his shirt, and walking to the closet to pick out his pajamas._

 _"What's the use of being boss if you have to personally go solve each little problem that arises?" Astoria said, her voice rising with each word. "Look at me when I'm talking to you."_

 _Draco sighed, and turned to her. "What do you want me to say? I'm sorry that I have to work."_

 _"It's always work with you," Astoria was near yelling now. "Work or Scorpius. Where do I fit into your life, Draco? Am I just your baby-making machine, and now that you have your heir, I'm worth nothing to you?"_

 _"What's gotten into you today?" Draco asked. "I'm tired. Can we just sleep?"_

 _"I'm tired, too," Astoria said. "Tired of feeling useless. Tired of not having a proper place in your life."_

 _"Astoria, I-"_

 _"I'm done with this, Draco," Astoria said. "I'm leaving you."_

 _"What?! Astoria, let's just-"_

 _"No, I've had enough," Astoria said. "I'm moving back to my parents' home for a little while tomorrow, and I'll ask Father to draw up our divorce papers."_

 _"We can talk it out," Draco tried reasoning. "We have to think about Scorpius. I won't live without him, and we cannot put him through this."_

 _Astoria narrowed her eyes at him. "That's all you're thinking about right now? What Scorpius will go through? No thought toward our relationship? This is what I'm-"_

 _"What do you want me to say?" Draco said, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Of course, I'm going to think about him in all this. He's too young to have to live through this, and if you were a good mother you would think about that too before making such a decision!"_

 _The moment those words slipped out, everything had changed, and Draco rushed forward to apologize._

 _"Don't!" Astoria warned him before he could touch her. "Sign the papers when you receive them."_

 _She turned on her heel to leave. Just before she opened the door, she turned around once again._

 _"Just so you know, I'm pregnant, and this baby will be very happy with me and its father. Because at least he isn't some pretend death eater coward."_

 _"Astoria," Draco mumbled in disbelief. His wife had been cheating on him?_

 _"Good bye, Draco," she said, and shut the door with a slam behind her._

 _Draco had fallen to the floor then. He wished he had done a million things differently. He wasn't too attached to the idea of a partner anyway, but his son needed a mother damn it. In her own way, Astoria had cared for him, making sure he had everything he needed._

 _And now, what was going to happen? He had to keep Scorpius in his life, for it was certain he would die if Scorpius was taken from him._

 _His door opened again, and he stood quickly, turning around thinking it was Astoria._

 _"Astoria, let me just-"_

 _"Daddy?" it was Scorpius, holding on to Jackie, and rubbing his eyes._

 _"Scorp?" Draco said, and rushed to pick his son up. "Why did you wake up?"_

 _"I heard shouting," the boy said, hugging his father closely._

 _Draco kicked himself mentally for forgetting to throw up his usual silencing spell the moment their fight had begun._

 _"Sorry, mate," Draco said, and kissed his forehead._

 _"Is Mother mad at me because I left my toys out today?"_

 _"No, Scorp, she's mad at me because I was mean to her," Draco said._

 _"Did you say sorry?" Scorpius asked._

 _"I did," Draco replied, trying his hardest to hide his frown._

 _"Maybe you should buy her some earrings," Scorpius suggested. "She's always happy when you give her earrings."_

 _Draco sighed, and laid Scorpius on his bed. "I don't think that's going to help this time, mate."_

 _"Just say sorry again," Scorpius said sleepily._

 _"Hmm," Draco replied. "Good night, Scorpius."_

 _"Good night, Daddy."_

The second sorry didn't work. Draco woke up to house elves emptying her stuff from the closets on Saturday, and made his way to Scorpius' room to check on him. To his shock, he found Astoria already there, pulling on the boy's arm.

"I don't want to go to Grandmother's house," the boy was crying, tugging to try and free his arm from her hold. "I want to stay here."

Astoria raised her arm then, and Draco ran in, shouting her name to get her to stop, and pulled Scorpius behind him.

She was furious now, and narrowed her eyes as she looked at her husband and the boy trying to hide behind him. Without another word, she turned around, her robes swishing with the force, and left the house and the two boys alone.

* * *

 **(To be continued)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 **30 March 2005**

"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Philip Greengrass and Mr. Horatio Llewleyn are here to see you," Ida, Draco's assistant announced to him.

Ah, this was the dreaded day. They were here to serve the divorce papers and talk about the settlement.

"Draco," Philip Greengrass pushed his way in without waiting for Draco's agreement.

"Mr. Greengrass," Draco nodded.

"This is our attorney, Horatio," Philip introduced, sitting right across Draco. Draco had never liked the man. He was tall, and had a pot belly jutting out of his expensive Italian robes. But it was his face that put Draco off. The man looked like he held the key to all the secrets in the universe, and that he could destroy anyone with a look. He was Lucius Malfoy times a hundred, and Draco had always tried to stay away from him.

"Mr. Greengrass and I are here to discuss the proceedings of your divorce with Mrs. Astoria Malfoy," the attorney spoke in clipped tones.

"He knows that, Horatio," Philip spoke, shooting an annoyed look at the man who seemed to shrink back into his seat.

"As I was saying, Ms. Astoria has a list of demands, after which we can officially conclude the divorce procedure," Horatio continued. Draco had expected a list of demands, and had already asked his own attorney to be present at any moment's notice.

If it hadn't been for her infidelity, Draco would have given up anything except Scorpius in the settlement. But her affair had rubbed him the wrong way, and he would make sure to give her as little as possible.

"If you can just hold off for a quick minute, I'd like to invite my own attorney to this conversation," Draco said, and called for Ida.

"There's really no need for that," Philip interjected. "It's all really simple and straightforward."

"Still," Draco insisted, asking Ida to send for his lawyer immediately before continuing. "It's just for a backup."

Philip nodded curtly, and intertwined his fingers, looking at Draco intently over them. He would make sure to wring every last knut from the Malfoy vault.

"Mr. Malfoy," Alfred Deyes, Draco's attorney walked in a minute later. He quickly shook Philip and Horatio's hands, before settling down on a seat closer to Draco.

"As I was saying before Mr. Deyes showed up, Ms. Astoria has a list of demands for the settlement," Horatio spoke quickly, clearing his throat of nervousness.

"Right, of course," Alfred nodded, gesturing for the man to continue with the list.

"Ms. Astoria has asked for three thousand galleons for each year of marriage, the Malfoy properties in Greece and Australia, and any jewelry or clothing she was gifted or bought after marriage. And of course, custody of Scorpius Lucius Malfoy, her son, and two thousand galleons every year for his care until he is of age," Horatio rattled off the ridiculous list.

"Absolutely not!" Draco stood up, slapping his hands on his desk. "She can keep the jewels and the clothes, and I'll throw in the Australia house and even the money, but not. My. Son."

"She loves Scorpius," Philip said coolly. "And she is the mother, so the better parent."

"Fuck you!" Draco snapped. "Scorpius is going to stay with me. Everything else can be hers."

"That's non-negotiable," Philip said, examining his fingernails calmly. "She's going to be starting a new family with Blaise, and that's obviously the better environment for Scorpius to grow up in. Not the single working father house that you can offer. It's for his best interests."

"Blaise? Blaise Zabini? That's who she cheated with?" Draco was furious now. The man had been a friend at Hogwarts.

"I thought she mentioned it," Philip replied, unaffected by Draco's outburst.

"She didn't!" Draco shouted. "And Scorpius' best interests lie with me. I will not give up my son, and you better believe it."

"Draco, sit down," Alfred said. It would do no good for Draco to be so worked up right now. "Horatio, this is simply ridiculous. And according to the law, Ms. Astoria gave up her right to any demands the moment she engaged in an extra-marital affair."

"But the 2002 Kirkwell Law supersedes that law," Horatio said, flipping through his notes. "Since Ms. Astoria can provide a more stable home and family than Mr. Malfoy can, she is deemed the more fit parent, and any court will award her full custody."

"But the very fact that this demand is negated by her extra-marital affair renders Mr. Malfoy the only legal guardian for his son, and any court will rule according to the order of events," Alfred replied.

"Well, we'll see about that then," Philip said, standing up. "We came prepared for this eventuality. We've lodged a custody dispute claim with the Ministry for the earliest available date, 5th May. The divorce proceedings can happen right away, and all other demands will be a part of the court case. Horatio!"

Horatio quickly pulled out a set of papers and handed them to Alfred. "This is the court notice for the custody case, and these are divorce papers without any demands. You can go over them, and sign and mail them to my office by the end of this week."

"Good day, Draco," Philip said, and even his large moustache could not hide the sneer underneath.

"We're going to have to find you a way out of this mess," Alfred said the moment the two men had left the office.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked, confused about the man's sudden panic.

"I mean that it's highly likely that the court will give Astoria custody because she has a family," Alfred explained.

"But you just-"

"I lied to them," Alfred replied. "It's all I could think of to get you out of it at that moment."

* * *

 **(To be continued)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

 **2 April 2005**

 _Malfoy Marriage comes to an End!_ read the large headline on the front page of Hermione's morning paper. Underneath was a picture of Astoria at the front steps of her family home, wiping away a tear, her parents worriedly standing right behind. Another smaller picture of Draco and her at their engagement announcement was to the right, and Hermione quickly read the article.

It spoke about Draco, his past, and his present. It spoke about Astoria, and her want for her child. It spoke about Scorpius, and their upcoming custody case. Hermione had no idea what was happening, and whether or not to mention it in their meeting later in the day. If it were Harry, or Ron, or even one of her old Gryffindor friends, she would've been at their house right away, consoling them, making them tea, or asking them if they needed anything. But this was Draco Malfoy, and she had no idea how to deal with this stuff around him.

If she broached it, would he be offended and scream at her to mind her own business? If she didn't broach it, would it be rude of her, and would he assume she sided with his wife, which she didn't? She had no idea which path to take, and it was driving her insane.

Her decision was made for her though, as she walked through his office and took a seat, noting the new photo that graced his minimal desk. It was Scorpius on a swing, and Draco was pushing him from behind. Scorpius was laughing as he went higher, his hair mussed by the wind, as Draco laughed, and held his hands out in anticipation.

"You deserve to have custody of him, you know?" she said softly, causing him to lift his eyes from his work and look at her. She gasped lightly when she saw the pain evident in his eyes. They were red, and he had clearly not been sleeping well. They looked torn, with pain and hurt, and Hermione felt terrible for him.

"She's trying to take him away from me," Draco said, his voice hoarse and cracking with emotion. "I don't know what I'm going to do if I don't have him in my life."

"I'm so sorry," Hermione said, and instantly stood up to go near him, and placed a consoling hand on his back. She didn't want to breach his personal space and hug him, so this seemed like the perfect way to relay her concern.

"I told her I'd give her all the money and diamonds in the world, but she wants that and Scorpius," Draco said, tears flowing out of his eyes now. He briefly wondered why he was telling Hermione Granger all of this, when he hadn't even mentioned it to his friends, but he supposed it was because she was detached enough from the situation, and because she would never tell anyone all of this. She was just that kind of a person.

"Have you consulted with your lawyer yet?" Hermione offered. "I could take a look at the case and find some loophole."

"Apparently there's some Kirkman's law or whatever that says Scorpius belongs with her because she has a family to offer and I have only myself," Draco said, frustration and anger now taking over hurt.

"You mean Kirkwell's law?" Hermione asked. It had been formulated which she had been working at MLE, and had even thought it to be a good law at the time. It had, in her opinion, given both parents to provide an equally comfortable and happy household for a child, which was essential. Now, she realized what a true exception this case was. She couldn't speak for Astoria, having never met her, but family or no family, Draco was an excellent father. There was no denying the exceptionally strong bond he shared with the boy, and Draco had to be given an equal shot at raising his son. The presence of a family should in no way hamper his ability to gain custody of his son.

"You're a good father, Draco, and it's obvious that you love Scorpius and he loves you. There's no way the Ministry can deny that and take him away from you," Hermione said, rubbing calming circles on his back.

"Can you tell the Ministry that?" Draco huffed, and Hermione saw a little grin shine through.

"Sure," Hermione said. "If you'd like, I can even work on this with you and help you keep him. I have some contacts at MLE, and I can definitely help a little bit."

"Thanks, Hermione," Draco sniffed. He didn't care about being manly right now. All he could think of was Scorpius.

"No problem," she smiled at him before walking around and taking a seat again. "Now let's get back to work, because the school opening is five months away, and we still have a lot to do."

* * *

 **(To be continued)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

 **4 April 2005**

"But that simply won't work!" Hermione said in frustration. "The other side would just have to say that the baby would be good company to Scorpius."

"I'm sure we can make a strong case for partial neglect in favor of his own child, though," Alfred, Draco's lawyer argued back. Hermione had gone through with her promise, and called a meeting with Draco's attorney to go over the case. With Hermione's strong opinions and Alfred's territorial stance, their meeting had quickly become heated, and the two fought over almost every topic they were on. Right now, they were sparring over bringing Astoria's future husband's intentions and ability to care for Scorpius.

Draco pinched the bridge of his nose in a bid to keep a headache at bay. This was ridiculous. All anyone should have to do to decide Scorpius' future was to ask Scorpius himself. But the Ministry was a bunch of old-fashioned gits who didn't think a three-year old could make that decision for himself. Only when Scorpius turned seventeen he make his own decision, and Draco was not going to take the chance of living without his son for fourteen years.

He stood up when the two visitors reverted to an older fight, rehashing their opinions from then and trying to convince the other of their viewpoint. Draco really appreciated their help, especially Hermione's since he hadn't asked for it or warranted it. But all that was going through his mind right now was 5th May, and whether or not he would even be allowed to see his son after that day. He needed to go home, and spend time with Scorpius right now.

"I'm going to go home for a little bit," he announced, receiving barely a second in acknowledgement, before the two went back to fighting over a new document.

It was fine with him, though. Silent exits were always most preferred.

He stepped into his floo, and spoke his home address. He loosened his tie, and set his bag on the living room couch before making his way to Scorpius' room. His mother had offered to look after him while Draco was at work, and the two were currently sitting at the small art desk in his son's room. Scorpius had recently learned grip control at pre-school, and was really interested in using a paintbrush and paints as his medium of practice. Narcissa and Scorpius were hunched over the desk, the Malfoy matriarch covered in splotches of paint and looking at her grandson with excitement over his work, pushing his hair out of his eyes when it fell from behind his ears.

Draco smiled at the scene, and then frowned, biting back tears that threatened to fall over the prospect of having this room be empty in a month. He had confidence in his parenting abilities, but almost no faith in the system. His lawyer had made it very clear that Astoria had the clear upper hand in this situation, and him being a single businessman would make it very hard to prove Draco's commitment to his son.

Draco had even offered to give up his position in the company, but like everything else, that was deemed to be a bad choice too. It had felt like a stake to his heart to hear about everything that could be said about him after all these years, to hear about him being labelled as a lazy, entitled, good-for-nothing, Pureblood heir who would spoil his son and raise him to be a replica of his own self. This was a court case, Alfred had explained, and it was the other side's job to prove Draco unfit in every way possible. He knew he shouldn't take any of it to heart, but it was incredibly hard not to when he had had the same worries before Scorpius was born.

"Daddy!" Scorpius said, looking up and seeing Draco. "Look what I made!"

He held up a sheet of red lines of paint behind blue circles. It was the most impressive thing Draco had ever seen.

"Wow, Scorp!" he said, moving to examine his son's art closely. "Those circles are perfect!"

"Ms. Amelia taught us this in school today," Scorpius explained seriously. "She said you have to do it all at once and then you get perfect rounds."

"This is amazing, mate," Draco said, and placed a kiss on his son's forehead.

Narcissa looked up at him, and gave him a weary smile. She knew her son was hurting, even though he was trying his hardest not to worry Scorpius. She wished with all her heart that she could do something, anything, to protect her boys, and cursed every god in the world when every answer had ended with a shut door.

"Should I ask Missy to get you some tea?" she asked Draco.

"No, I'll just put Scorpius down for his nap and go get a sandwich or something," Draco said.

"I don't want to nap!" Scorpius declared.

"Well, I don't want to see you all cranky in two hours just because you're sleepy," Draco looked pointedly at his son.

"I won't-"

Draco simply stared at Scorpius until his firm frown softened into acquiescence.

"Fine, but no nap tomorrow," Scorpius said, jumping into bed, and hugging Jackie close to him.

"We'll see about that," Draco said, brushing his hand through Scorpius's hair before kissing him on the forehead. "Now be a good boy, and sleep. We can go get ice cream after dinner."

"Can I get chocolate and sprinkles on the top?" Scorpius asked, a yawn muffling his words.

"And fudge," Draco smiled, after pretending to consider his question.

"You're the best, Daddy," Scorpius said. "Now go so I can sleep."

Draco laughed lightly, and gestured to his mother to follow him out. Narcissa nodded, kissing her grandson before following Draco, and shutting Scorpius' door softly behind her.

Draco went straight to the kitchen, and placed two pieces of bread in the toaster. Since Scorpius was a baby, Draco had gotten used to making himself a quick snack or a cup of tea when he woke up late at night, finding the small task therapeutic and self-assuring. Lucius had shot Draco weird looks when Draco would do the same when they stayed over at the new Manor, but Narcissa had always forbidden him from saying anything directly to Draco. This was the new Draco, self-sufficient, hard-working, and a great father. He was happier now, and she wouldn't allow her husband's old-fashioned way of thinking get in the way of her son's improved life.

"Do you want anything?" Draco asked his mother, as she took a seat across the kitchen island.

"Just to know how you're doing, darling," she sighed. Draco had brought Scorpius over in the middle of the week to visit and explained the entire situation, including his wife's demands. She was concerned about him. He hadn't shown any emotion openly, and she knew he was hurting deeply. She couldn't imagine what this whole situation was doing to his psyche. Somewhere along the way, she blamed herself and Lucius for this predicament. If they hadn't gotten involved in Draco's life, and gotten him married so early to that terrible woman, he could've lived a peaceful life. If only they hadn't made such a hasty and desperate decision, and forced Draco to handle the responsibilities of being the Malfoy heir and restoring their name, the probability of losing her grandson could've been avoided.

"I'm just hoping Granger and Alfred can find something to win me this case," he replied, spreading peanut butter on one of the toasts.

"Granger?" his mother asked. "Hermione Granger is helping you? I didn't think you would tell her about all this."

"I didn't either," Draco admitted. "That woman has an uncanny ability to get any information from any person she wants. She was just there soon after I found out what Astoria wanted, and I ended up telling her everything."

"Well, if you do trust her, then I'm sure she'll be of great help," she shrugged.

Draco looked at his mother then. There was an unbelieving tone to her voice. "What?"

"What?" Narcissa asked, furrowing her brows in confusion.

"You don't trust her intentions?"

"It's not that," Narcissa explained, after pausing to form her thoughts correctly. "With everything in the past, I'm just surprised she would want to move out of your work space and help you keep Scorpius. One, without knowing anything about you. The new you. And two, without having any knowledge of the dynamics between Astoria, Scorpius and you. I just don't want you to regret this later if she turns out to be not on your side."

"You mean, if she betrays me?" Draco asked, a laugh bubbling in his throat at the thought. "She isn't that sort of person, Mother. And she says she simply wants to help because she knows I truly love Scorpius, and because she's seen how happy he is with me."

"She's met Scorpius, then?" Narcissa asked incredulously. She hadn't known about this development. Draco usually preferred to keep Scorpius away from the public eye. The Malfoys had regained some of the social standing they had lost in the war, but there were still those who saw them as the epitome of the losses caused to them. It was a matter of Scorpius' security, and Draco was really diligent about keeping him safe.

"Really casually," Draco shrugged. "She came over to go over some work, and met him accidentally."

"Let's hope she can find something to help, then," Narcissa agreed. "I know you don't want to think about it, but what if…?"

She trailed off, but they both knew what she was talking about. What if Scorpius was taken away from his life? Draco hadn't thought of what he would do, simply because he didn't know. Every inch of his body hurt just thinking of it, and he would probably lose the ability to breathe anymore.

"I don't-," he started, but before he could complete his thought, the floo rang out, and Draco and Narcissa looked at each other in confusion, not having expected anyone.

It was Pansy and Theo. Pansy instantly ran to his side, and pulled him into a hug. She was one of the very few people who could get away with stuff like this, and only because she was one of his closest childhood friends.

Theo chose to simple nod at him.

"I just heard!" Pansy said, hugging him closer. "Are you okay?"

Draco patted her on the back. "I have no idea what to feel anymore, Pans." The girl had always been for him, even during his miserable sixth year. It was easy to be honest with her, and he was glad she was here.

Then suddenly, she was pulling away and slapping his arm. "Why didn't you owl me before, you twit?"

"Hey!" he protested. "I was too busy trying to think of trail-less ways to murder your best friend."

"Don't call that bitch my friend," Pansy frowned. "You know I never liked her."

Draco smirked. Pansy had been dead set against Draco marrying Astoria, having thought the girl to be too clingy and annoying since their Hogwarts years. But a life of Pureblood training had taught her to shut her mouth, and she had kept her opinions restricted to conversations without their parents.

"What's going on now, mate?" Theo asked. He and Pansy had gotten married two years ago, and had soon become a good friend to Draco.

"My lawyer is trying to find some way to prove Astoria's promise of a family of lesser value than the life I can give Scorpius," he explained. "But apparently, there's some law that will directly award Astoria custody simply because she has a family to offer. Fucking Zabini, though!"

"Draco," Narcissa warned, out of habit.

"Sorry," Draco said absent-mindedly. "I thought we were friends, and now he goes and breaks up my marriage and threatens to take my child."

"Should I try talking to him?" Pansy offered. "I could reason with him, and convince him-"

"He hasn't even replied personally to my letter, Pans," Draco said, slumping against the kitchen island. "His assistant wrote back saying he couldn't talk to me until after the case."

"Bastard," Pansy muttered. They had honestly been rather close in school, and she would never have expected him to betray Draco in this way.

"Pansy," Narcissa rebuked.

"It's true, Mrs. Malfoy," Pansy protested. "He's being a right bastard. If it weren't for Scorpius' involvement, I would say that him and Astoria deserve each other."

Narcissa sighed, and sat back, knowing Pansy was right.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Theo asked, rummaging through Draco's cabinets to find his stash of Firewhiskey and pour himself a glass.

"Unless you can either help me murder Astoria, or convince the Ministry I have a better family for Scorpius, not really," Draco said with a snarl, and quickly poured and downed a glass of the golden liquid himself. He'd already gone over all possibilities. Now, everything lay in Alfred's hands. Well, his and Hermione Granger's.

All four adults sat quietly.

"Wait!" Pansy said, breaking the quiet. "Why don't you convince them you have the better family?"

"A single working father over a traditional family isn't their idea of a perfect household," Draco said, looking at her as though she had lost her mind.

"No," Pansy bit back. "Do the same thing Astoria did."

Draco was now confused. Narcissa, on the other hand, was nodding her head as she pieced together the meaning behind Pansy's words.

"What are you going on about?" Draco asked, deciding straightforward was the best way to get answers.

"It's simple, really," Pansy said, a grin forming on her face.

"You just have to get a mother for Scorpius," Narcissa said, an equally wide grin settling on her face.

* * *

 **(To be continued)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

 **4 April 2005**

Draco looked at his mother, and then at Pansy. They had clearly gone insane.

"Theo, will you go floo St. Mungo's, and ask for a Healer to come look at my mother and your wife?" Draco said, when the grins refused to wear off from their faces.

"No, I think they might be on to something, here," Theo said, tapping his fingers against his glass.

"You too, now?" Draco asked. Was he the only sane person left in this room? What they were suggesting was impossible and preposterous!

"No, hear me out, mate," Theo said. "The only upper hand Astoria has is her family. So, just pull her down by presenting your own family. If you show the Ministry that you have a loving household and a mother figure in Scorpius' life, there's no chance those fools think Astoria deserves him more than you."

"True," Draco agreed. "Now, only if I possessed the magic to create a wonderful woman in a second, this plan would work perfectly. Because if you three haven't noticed, I've been married until this week, and unlike my ex-wife, I've been faithful. Where do you think I'm going to find a woman to convince to take care of my son in less than a month? And you do realize, I'd have to marry this woman? She can't simply be a babysitter or a nanny, you know. Merlin, knows I don't have the best track record at being married."

Theo and Narcissa sighed and slumped back in their seats, their excitement from a moment vanished the moment Draco had spoken. He was right, this was ridiculous.

"I'm sure we can find one of our old friends, Draco," Pansy said. "Any witch could be convinced to marry you, if only for a short time."

"Firstly, the only witch who did want to marry me was my ex-wife," Draco said. "Secondly, literally anyone who I could've called in a favor with, if you can call committing to short term marriage and motherhood that, is married or dead. And any other witch wouldn't come within five feet of the Malfoy name."

Narcissa looked up, ready to say something at his jab, but closed her mouth as she realized how true his words were.

"You have money, Draco," Pansy said, adamant to make this last plan work. "You can pay any witch, and-"

"And what?" Draco turned to her. "Risk the Ministry finding out and letting Astoria take Scorpius away by default. That's just being stupid."

Normally, Draco would've been flying off into a wall for insulting Pansy, but even she knew he was right this time. It wouldn't bode well for him if the Ministry suspected any form of cheating at all.

"What about a muggle then?" Theo chimed in. "They wouldn't know about your history, and you can easily convince them to marry you."

"How on earth am I going to be let free for exposing magic to a muggle?" Draco was even more frustrated now. How did they not see how foolish they were being? "You're all just grasping at straws!"

"And you're just being a negative pig!" Pansy screamed back. "We're trying to help you keep Scorp, so just stop being so rude."

"Just leave, please," Draco massaged the bridge of his nose, and took a deep, calming breath. He knew they were trying to help, but making nonsensical plans like this was going to do no good to his case. The basic premise was sound, but there was no way what they were suggesting could work in the practical world. It was best they just left him alone while he thought.

"Draco," Narcissa said softly, standing up to go place a comforting hand on his back.

"I'll see you later, Mother," he said. "Thank you for looking after Scorpius today."

Narcissa nodded, and then gestured to the other ex-Slytherins to follow her to the floo. When he had calmed down, Draco would reach out to them on his own. He'd been that way since he was a child. Temperamental and wild in his anger, and then haughtily and silently apologetic once he realized his error.

Draco waited until he heard the roar of the fireplace settle down, and then poured himself a last glass of Firewhiskey for the day and plopping himself on the couch. His pose was that of a defeated man, his head thrown to the back of the seat in frustration.

For the last three years, Draco had worked harder than he had ever worked before to become a good parent to Scorpius. Astoria cared for Scorpius, but Draco loved him with every fiber of his being. His entire existence was his son, and having only visitation rights would simply destroy him. It was slowly breaking him already, and Scorpius was still with him.

He put his feet up on the coffee table in front of him, and noticed a small stuffed panda bear lying near one of its legs. Instantly, he bent down and picked it up, bringing it close to his heart as the tears he had been holding back began to flow.

Maybe he deserved this. Maybe Scorpius was brought into his life only so he could feel the pain of being torn away from the person he loved the most. Maybe Astoria would be able to give him the motherly love and attention that Draco couldn't. Maybe Scorpius would have a better future with a sibling, with an entire family. Without him.

Every thought was like a _Crucio_ to his soul, but he was on the acceptance stage of his grief now.

So, he cried, taking the pain and turning it into tears, thankful that no one was around to see or hear him. At least he could still feel…

The ringing of the floo warned him suddenly, and he was on his feet in a second, wiping away all evidence of his outburst. Maybe his Mother had forgotten something? Or was it Pansy with another stupid idea?

He walked into the living room, and bumped into none other than Hermione Granger, however. She let out a shriek as her file went flying from their crash, papers flying everywhere.

"I'm sorry," he said, rubbing his shoulder where it had caught her head. "I wasn't expecting you to come over."

She was kneeling on the floor, trying to collect and reorganize her papers. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said, and he could see her embarrassed blush. "I just received news that our curriculum has been approved and I was so excited, and I knew you wouldn't see the letter till tomorrow when you went into your office, and I remembered your address, and I'm so sorry to barge in and-"

"Granger, breathe," he said, an amused, but tired smile appearing on his face. "It's fine, really. Congratulations!"

"You too!" she smiled back. She opened her mouth to say something, but a look of hesitation crossed her face and she seemed to take the silence route.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," she mumbled, still trying to decide whether or not to speak. "I was just wondering if you had some time to go over our instructor recruitments. I know it's after hours, so we can do it tomorrow if you're busy."

"No," he waved her off. "We can go over it now. Scorpius will be up in a half hour, so I can work till then."

"Great!" Hermione smiled widely, following Draco to his study.

For the next half hour, they went through the applicant's files, put together an interviewing team, and even wrote letters to Headmistress McGonagall asking for her help in shortlisting their top picks.

"I'll ask my department to send out letters to the people we really like then," Hermione said, putting all her stuff back in her bag. Her undetectable extension charm was still one of the handiest charms she knew. If not for it, she would have to carry twenty bags full of everything she needed every day.

"Sounds good," Draco agreed. "And I'll start mailing the people we want on our interviewing committee. I still think Madame Maxime can help us out."

"But her curriculum is entirely different from what we want to implement," Hermione said, rehashing her opinions from before. "And I think Professor McGonagall will definitely be enough help once she gets our owl."

"Sure," Draco said, pressing his mouth into a thin line as he considered her point.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," Hermione smiled.

Draco nodded, and followed her to the fireplace. She stepped in, and turned around, pushing the falling strap of her bag back up on her shoulder.

"592 Bran-"

"Granger, wait," Draco suddenly called out, and the floo powder dropped through Hermione's fingers in surprise. Had she forgotten something?

Hermione raised her eyebrows in wait for Draco to continue.

"Can I ask you a question?" he said slowly, and Hermione's confusion at his hesitance grew in tenfold. She had never known him to be hesitant or unsure.

"Yes," she said, nodding her head and trying to comfort him without overstepping her boundaries.

"Will you marry me?"

* * *

 **(To be continued)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

 **4 April 2005**

Hermione stared at the man in front of her, the boy who had once been her sworn enemy, and was now…a coworker?

She wanted to laugh at the absurdity, unused to such pranks from him. But then she saw his face, and terror took over her. Was he not joking?

But he had to be. Why on earth would he want to marry her?

"What?" she finally managed to get out. It was dumb, and she normally hated repeating things in a conversation, but there seemed to be no other response to his question.

"Look, I know this is out of nowhere-"

"Damn right, it's from nowhere!" Hermione muttered with a huff.

"And I know it's a massive thing to ask," Draco continued, knowing he would probably hit himself in the head when the effects of the alcohol in his system wore off. What other reason could there be behind his panicky actions? Not to mention, completely insane plan. "You have a life of your own, and this is such a long-lasting effect, and we're not even that close, but trust me, there's no one else I could ask or even…trust enough to even think about asking this."

"I don't understand-"

"I think my only shot at winning the case is if I present a full family too. If I get married," Draco blurted out, desperate that she says yes now. He would have to throw out all his spirits the moment he obliviated Hermione and sent her back home, for that was the only solution he could see to wipe out his actions right now. But desperation fueled his words right now, and logic was nowhere to be found, and that was why he kept going.

"But, I-"

"And you're a Ministry employee, which makes you so much more credible," Draco continued. Maybe it really was time for St. Mungo's to be contacted about their psychiatric ward. "And we've been working together for so long, no one will suspect it being fake. And you know Scorpius. It will only be until I win custody, and I'll give you whatever you want in return. Money, property, literally anything I can possibly get."

"Are you okay?" Hermione said, reaching forward to feel his forehead for a possible fever. "Do you need me to call you a Healer? Maybe you should sleep for a bit."

"I'm okay," Draco said quickly. "I'm being serious. I honestly think this could work, and I know it's a massive thing to ask of you, especially since I've been horrid to you and-"

"That's not even my concern right now, Draco," Hermione interrupted. "No one will ever believe us to be a couple."

"Why not?" he asked. "We can literally pass this off as a secret workplace relationship, and no one can prove otherwise."

"I've been dating someone in that time though," Hermione shook her head, her mouth turned into a deep frown. Maybe she could still contact Ida and ask her to contact Draco's family. The man seemed delirious. "And literally none of my friends or my parents have ever heard of this. Wouldn't they be suspicious?"

 _Not to mention, have me certified,_ she thought.

"Fine, then it wasn't an exclusive relationship until recently," Draco threw out. He ran a hand through his hair, laughing and muttering to himself. "I can't believe this actually might work."

"Draco, I cannot marry you," Hermione said, wincing at the instant smile drop from his face. But she had to remain strong, because she had to tell him the truth. "I know you love your son, and he loves you. But, I've never been married and I take marriage very seriously. I can't just marry you for a month and then break it off. And I'm not entirely comfortable with lying to my parents, my friends, heck, even the Ministry."

Draco sobered up then. She was right, and he was a fool. An absolute fool.

"I-I'm so sorry, Hermione," he said slowly. "I'm just-"

"I know, Draco," she said, and placed a hand on his arm. He'd just been trying every possible thing he could think of right now, no matter how ridiculous. "Go get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow."

Draco nodded, and Hermione floo'd away before it got even more awkward between them.

She stumbled through her own living room, and threw her bag to the side before collapsing on the sofa herself, an action that was thoroughly unlike her. She was usually very organized, and making sure everything was in its proper place had a relaxing effect on her.

But today was no ordinary day, was it? She had been proposed to-for the first time, no less- and rejected said proposal in the matter of ten minutes. And the man proposing was Draco Malfoy. And it was for a fake marriage of convenience.

That was definitely not how she had pictured her first ever proposal for marriage.

But she had done the right thing, no matter how painful or awkward. He was frustrated, angry, and upset, and had acted under the effect of very strong emotions. Her heart actually hurt for him, thinking about how upset he must've been to consider a second marriage so soon after his first had ended, and to her.

She couldn't even imagine what her parents would say, what her friends would say. No, none of them would believe it for even a second. It was impossible, with their history.

Granted, he wasn't the same as he was before. He was still cocky and arrogant, always thought he was right, and ordering people around was still very much in his DNA. But he wasn't a mean bully, and he definitely didn't have the same prejudices that were instilled in him as a child. If he had them, there was no way the two, her a muggleborn he should hate, could have worked the way they had on a project for a community of people he considered less than the stuff at the bottom of his shoes at one point. And Hermione had caught on to the extremely strong bond between him and his son in a five-minute interaction, not to mention the complete breakdown of his normal self since the whole fiasco of his marriage ending had begun. If that was his public behavior, Hermione didn't even want to venture a guess on how bad things were in private.

And Scorpius. Such a sweet boy. Draco and Scorpius seemed to latch on to each other as if the other were their life vest. From the boy's words, it was also rather evident that he was much more connected to his father than his mother, and for some reason, Hermione found herself disliking the woman without ever having met her. She had been unfaithful in her marriage, something Hermione despised, and she was dragging that poor boy through this whole mess.

It was a terrible situation, and Hermione could already tell Scorpius was going to be miserable without Draco, and Draco…Well, she didn't even want to imagine the destruction and agony he would feel.

She wanted to help, truly she did, which is why she had offered to research and make a strong case for him. It was in her nature to comfort people, and seeing anyone as upset as she had seen Draco brought out the strongest maternal instinct to calm and soothe the person. She couldn't stay out of the issue once she got involved, and she wanted to do her best to make sure Draco won.

But she already knew the truth in the deepest part of her heart.

Draco winning the case was a very small possibility. The Ministry was traditional, and the law was rather straight-forward. Astoria provided a stable household by their definitions, Draco did not. Any argument against her character would be superseded by the law. Any witness questioning would be overruled, or even avoided, due to the law.

She wanted to help, but she couldn't, could she? Her main asset of researching had yielded no result, and she simply couldn't go through with his suggestion, could she?

No, of course not. This wasn't kindergarten, and it wouldn't be the marriage of two of her dolls. This was the real world, and she would actually and truly be married to Draco Malfoy. She would live in his house, with him, lie to everyone she knew and cared about, be a mother, be a wife.

And her principals were very important to her. She couldn't just go out on a whim and get married, knowing it would end in a divorce.

But then, those principals also were niggling at her to help the little boy, if nothing else. To save him, and help him stay where he would be happiest. To not put her hands up and let him be unhappy.

Her parents' face flashed in front of her eyes. What would they say? What would they say when they found out she was marrying a divorced man with a child, much less Draco Malfoy, the bully from her stories? She was certain she wouldn't be allowed to divulge the truth to anyone for fear of witness interviews in the Ministry, which would mean lying to everyone. What would they say then, when they heard she was divorcing the man she had suddenly sprung upon them? What if they found out she had never really loved the man, that she had been faking it? And it would also be a crime in the eyes of the law.

What then? If someone found out, she would lose her job, be blacklisted from the Ministry, maybe even be tried for perjury.

And what about Harry, Ron, Ginny, the Weasleys, Lila, everyone? How would they ever be convinced that she was dating Draco Malfoy? That she had hidden a relationship with him and was now marrying him?

And on that note, what about her own life? Taking care of Scorpius would be fine, for caregiving came naturally to her. But being a wife, in public, to Draco? How would they pull that off when they weren't even friends? And divorced women were still not openly accepted by the Wizarding world. Would anyone even want to date her after this whole fiasco if she came out of it okay?

But Scorpius. And Draco. Their faces kept flashing in front of her.

And then she thought about James and Harry. If, god forbid, it ever came to it, how would she behave and act if Harry was caught in a custody dispute over James? It wouldn't take her more than a second to say yes to whatever would help Harry.

But that was Harry, her friend, her brother. And this was Draco, just someone she knew casually. Even someone who had made her miserable before. How could she marry him, even if it was a fake marriage? How could she so easily put her life on hold for someone she knew close to not at all?

She sighed, and lay down flat on the couch. Her head hurt with all this, and it was only hypothetical.

She couldn't agree to this.

Right?

Right, of course she could not. It was just absurd.

But…

No, she would simply make herself dinner, and finish her current book and go straight to sleep. It had been far too long of a day.

But sleep doesn't come too easily when the brain doesn't stop working, and you want to pull your hair out of its roots in frustration.

Maybe a cup of cocoa would help.

It didn't.

Surely some telly would put her right to sleep. It usually worked.

But then again, today wasn't a usual day, and David Brent's usual tomfoolery on an old rerun of The Office simply didn't distract her today.

It couldn't go on like that, for she would simply go insane.

She hit the off button on her remote then, and decisively made her way to her desk.

 _Draco,_ she wrote. _We need to talk._

* * *

 ** _(_ To be Continued)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

 **5 April 2005**

Draco had woken up with a terrible headache. The alcohol definitely needed to go. It was to blame for his misery right now, and he would throw it out the moment he felt like he could take a step without puking out his guts.

It was also to blame for his ridiculous behavior the previous day. He blamed the alcohol, and his Mother and Pansy for that.

He had actually asked Hermione Granger to marry him. Seriously proposed marriage to her. He rolled over in his bed and groaned into the pillow. And now she wanted to talk. A couple of stupid, drunken mistakes, and now their hard work on the school was about to be thrown out the window. There was no way she could work with him after his foolish behavior with her, she would definitely think it too awkward.

So would he, and he was glad she was the one to broach the topic.

He had been surprised that her request to meet had come so soon after, and his own internal bet on how long it would take her to reach out to him had been two days. That's how long it usually took her to cool off after a particularly massive argument anyway. Her letter the previous night had taken him an entire hour to come up with a reply for. In the end, he had decided to invite her over the next morning, preferring her withdrawal from the project be outside his office, out of sight and earshot of his employees. That way, he could control the damage.

He glanced at the clock on the opposite wall, and groaned again as he realized she would be over in a half hour, and he still had to wake himself and Scorpius up, and actually look presentable again.

The desire to roll back into sleep and avoid all this mess was strong, but Draco Malfoy now took responsibility for his actions, no matter how painful it might be.

He only hoped she wouldn't hex him.

* * *

Hermione stepped out of the fireplace into Draco's drawing room. It was funny how she'd been here more times this past week than she had for the last six months. But the irony would set in later; right now, she needed to talk this situation out with him.

She cautiously walked into the living room, and found Scorpius hopped on to the stools that separated the kitchen island from the living room.

"Hey, Scorpius," she said, making her way to the boy, looking around for any sign of Draco.

"'Mione!" Scorpius said, turning around and trying to get down from the chair.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked, placing a hand on his back to get him to stay seated. "Where's your father?"

"Daddy went to change his pants cause I spilled milk on him," Scorpius giggled. "And I'm painting."

"Oh, do you like painting?" Hermione asked.

"I love painting, and Miss Amelia says I'm very good at it, and Daddy says I'm very good at it," Scorpius explained quickly. "Look, this is what I made."

He held out the piece of parchment he had been working on for Hermione to take a closer look at.

"Wow, you are really good," Hermione smiled. "But what is this behind the grass?"

She pointed to a blue and pointy figure in the boy's painting of an outdoor scene, presumably a garden.

"That's a tree," Scorpius said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"But it's blue," Hermione said.

"Because blue is my favorite colour, and my favorite tree is blue," Scorpius explained simply.

"But trees are only green, not blue," Hermione spoke. She was a firm believer in gentle corrections with young children. It was good to let them exercise their imagination and creativity, but these experiences also provided a good learning opportunity for children.

"My favorite tree at Nana's house is blue," Scorpius was adamant.

"My mother charmed it for him when he was a little boy," the reply came from Draco, who was standing near the entrance, having heard the conversation.

Hermione nodded, and handed back the painting to Scorpius. "In that case, truly well done, Scorpius!"

"Thanks, 'Mione," Scorpius said.

"Have you finished your breakfast yet?" Draco asked his son, shaking his head knowingly when the boy sheepishly pulled his plate closer to him and resumed eating his toast and eggs.

He placed a silencing bubble over Scorpius, so he wouldn't be able to hear their conversation. She was here, it was inevitable, and he would rather it be over sooner than later.

"So…" he started, at a loss for where to start.

"Is there anyone I can help convince to help you?" Hermione got right to it. "I think your solution might work."

What? She wasn't here to end their work partnership? She was still willing to help.

"There isn't, I don't know of any women who would agree," he said. "And anyway, last night-"

"I'll do it," Hermione mumbled so quickly he completely missed what she said.

"Sorry?"

"I'll help you," Hermione spoke a little louder.

"You mean…?"

"I'll marry you and help you keep your son," Hermione sighed.

Had the Ministry leaked something into the air or the water in the past week? Everyone had seemed to go insane lately, and the possibility of a foreign substance affecting their judgement was the only reason she was saying yes to the stupidest plan he had ever heard. Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy? Married? No one would buy it in a million years. Not to mention, working together was a completely different animal than _living_ together. It was very likely one of them would be dead by the end of their time together. Speaking of which, who knew how long this case would last? A month? Six months? A year? Two years? How would they manage?

But if, just if, he worked hard enough, it could work. It was ridiculous, but hours and days of deliberation had yielded this as the final and only possible option left.

And she was here, ready to help him. Ready to marry him and help keep Scorpius.

"Are-are you sure?" he asked, still in disbelief over what was happening.

"I'm sure I want to help," she replied, and he could see she was shaking a little. "I'm not sure whether it will actually work."

"It will have to be a real marriage, though," Draco said slowly, wanting to give her enough of a chance to come to her senses and back out. "In front of a minister and people."

"I know," she said.

"And you'll have to live with me," he said. "Here."

"I know what would be required to convince the Ministry," Hermione said.

"Bu-wha-why?" he sputtered out.

"Because Scorpius deserves a good life, and you don't deserve to have your son taken away by a woman who cheated on you," Hermione said quickly, just wanting to close the topic and move on before she changed her mind.

"I don't know what to say," Draco said honestly.

"Maybe apologize for not presenting your future bride with a ring when you proposed," Hermione said. Maybe humor would make this whole situation sink in, because she definitely still didn't feel the reality of her decision.

"So, we're getting married?" Draco asked again, just wanting to make sure his understanding was right.

"I guess so," she said. "Should we tell Scorpius?"

"Tell him what?" Draco said. He'd gone from a single father fighting to save his son to an apparently soon-to-be married again father in the span of second. "I don't even know how to explain this to him."

"Can I try?" Hermione asked.

"Be my guest," he shrugged, and lifted the bubble from Scorpius, finding him bent over a new painting.

"Hey Scorpius," Hermione put on a wide smile, and perched herself on the seat next to the little boy. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Um-hmm," Scorpius said, his eyes fast on his work.

"How would you feel if I married your Daddy and came to live here?

"You want to marry Daddy?" Scorpius asked.

Hermione nodded. The reason might not be traditional, but at least she actually did want to marry him.

"Why?"

"Because I want to be your friend, and play games with you and paint with you," Hermione smiled.

Scorpius smiled. "So, you'll read me stories at night?"

"Definitely," Hermione said excitedly. "I have so many books from when I was your age, and I'm sure you'll love them all."

"What about Mother?"

"Hey, buddy, remember how I told you your Mother was going away for some time?" Draco intervened, waiting for Scorpius' nod. "Well, she's going to live there forever, but you can meet her whenever you feel like it."

"She won't live here with us?"

"Not anymore," Draco said cautiously, not having completely had this conversation with Scorpius before. "Is that okay?"

"Did I do something to make her mad?" Scorpius asked, and Hermione's heart nearly broke into a million pieces at the boy's hurt.

"No, Scorp!" Draco rushed to his son's side. "She was just not happy with me, so she decided to go away. Do you want to live with her for some time?"

The question barely made its way through Draco's throat, but it was necessary Scorpius had some say in this matter.

"Will you be there?" Scorpius asked.

"No," Draco said slowly. "I don't think your mother will like me being there."

"Then I don't want to go," Scorpius said decisively, throwing his arms around Draco's neck. Hermione gave Draco a small smile. This moment had solidified her decision.

Draco gave her a small appreciative smile back. His initial decision had stemmed from his selfishness and desire to not lose his son, but now, he knew it was the right decision and what Scorpius wanted, too.

Now, all that was left was to get married again and make sure he was actually able to keep his word.

* * *

 **(To be continued)**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

 **9 April 2005**

"Oh, you're so cute, yes you are," Hermione cooed at her godson, whom she was holding above her head as he laughed.

"He's missed you," Ginny said, leaning against the door to James' room and watching the two playing.

"Well, I've missed him too," Hermione replied, bringing him down to blow a raspberry on his tummy, eliciting another one of the baby giggles she adored.

"Then you should come around more often," Ginny admonished.

"You know I'd love to," Hermione sighed. She had owled Ginny and Harry two days ago, and had asked to spend some time together before they went to the monthly family brunch at the Weasleys'. She had decided it was best to announce her impending nuptials to them before they let everyone else know.

They had already told her parents the previous day.

Hermione had called her parents and told them she had something important to tell them, sending them into an instant frenzy of questions. Hermione had promised to tell them everything when they met, but it was evident from her tone that she was nervous. When she had pressed the doorbell to her childhood home, she, Draco, her parents, everyone had had racing hearts. Luckily, Scorpius' presence had dampened the shock of her news. The Grangers had taken to the little boy instantly, and her father had settled with him on the rug, as he pulled out some of Hermione's old toy cars.

Her mother had taken her aside and bombarded her with questions, and Hermione had totally expected it. Who exactly was Draco? What had happened with his first marriage? Was she ready to be a mother? How long they had been dating? Why she hadn't told them about the new development? Was she happy? Thankfully, she and Draco had spent an entire day going over their backstory, so as not to stumble in public when asked a basic question. She felt terrible lying to her mother, but kept herself going every time she looked at Scorpius and remembered what was at stake.

It was evident that her parents were shocked and surprised, but not put off by the idea. They were just happy she was finally moving on in life, and had found a good family. Her mother had even hugged Draco on the way out, and it had taken everything she had for Hermione not to laugh out loud at the scene and the discomfort on his face.

Draco's family had been a completely different ballgame. Draco had picked up Hermione from her home after dropping Scorpius at school to go visit his parents. Hermione felt as though someone were controlling her actions through the imperius, because she had felt numb throughout. Never had she thought she would be sitting across the Malfoy's in a friendly manner, talking to them about marrying their son.

Narcissa had looked surprised more than shocked, and Hermione learned that it had been her thought process behind this whole thing. When Draco explained the whole situation, she hadn't looked upset by his decision. In fact, she had taken to thanking Hermione profusely, so much so that Hermione had blushed wildly at the compliments the woman was showering on her. Lucius Malfoy was unreadable, however.

"Draco, I'd like to speak to your mother privately for a moment please," he finally spoke, his face still plain and devoid of any emotion. "Neriti will show you to the parlor and serve you and Miss Granger tea, if you'd like."

Hermione had noticed that Draco and Narcissa had gone pale instantly. Lucius clearly wasn't happy with this, and god alone knew what was coming. Draco had faith in his mother, though, and nodded to follow his father's orders.

"This was your idea?" Lucius spoke calmly to his wife once the door was closed.

Narcissa nodded. "We've thought of everything, Lucius. And this is the only thing that guarantees us some chance at a win."

"But a muggleborn, Cissa?" Lucius was now openly angry.

"Don't tell me you're still on that track, Lucius. Not after everything that happened. We have to move on from thinking they're inferior."

"Working and sharing our world with them is a different story," Lucius stood up, pacing in front of Narcissa. "But inviting them into the family? Having a muggle-born be part of the family line? Never!"

"Well, that muggle-born is the only one ready to help you see your one and only grandson more than once in ten years, Lucius!" Narcissa stood up. Draco finally had a chance again, and she wasn't going to let Lucius' bigotry ruin this for him. "She hasn't had the best treatment from this family, and yet, she is the only one big enough to look past all that for the sake of our grandson. And listen to me carefully. We owe this to Draco. If we hadn't set him up with Astoria, all this mess would've never happened. He's finally happy, and I will not let him lose Scorpius. So, it would do you good to get over this nonsense and support Draco in this, and actually appreciate the only woman who had agreed to something this massive. If you're not up to it, I will make sure Draco feels supported enough on my own. That boy has had enough of our controlling decisions ruin his life. I refuse to let this go on. Now, I'm going to call them back in, and you will be cordial to her."

Lucius sat down in shock over his wife's outburst. Never in their decades long marriage had she ever spoken out in this manner, and he had no idea how to react.

When Draco and Hermione came back in, Narcissa pulled Hermione into a hug and thanked her once more. Hermione returned the hug awkwardly, but smiled as she realized the Malfoy matriarch was going out of her way to make sure she felt comfortable.

"We'll take our leave then," Draco cleared his throat. "We have to get to work."

"I'd like to speak to Miss Granger before you leave," Lucius' voice stopped him. "Alone."

"Father, you can-"

"Miss Granger," Lucius ignored his son, and gestured to Hermione to follow him.

Draco shot a look toward his mother in askance, and she nodded lightly. Draco didn't like this, but he gave Hermione an apologetic look and signed that he'd be right outside. What on earth did his father want now? If he harmed…No, his father wouldn't harm her. She was helping him., and if there was one thing Draco knew, it was that Lucius loved his grandson with all his heart.

Hermione had quietly followed Lucius to his study, and she could swear her heart was racing fast and loud enough for the aristocrat to hear.

"I want to talk to you about your remuneration, Miss Granger," he spoke, lacing his fingers together and placing them against his chin.

"I'm sorry?"

"What would you like in return for this favor you're doing our family?"

"I don't want anything," Hermione said, unsure whether to be angry, insulted, or confused.

"You will be devoting time from your own life to help us, and you want nothing in return?" Lucius asked incredulously. He had assumed the lady had agreed in return for some sort of payment.

Hermione shook her head no. "And anyway, this conversation is reserved for Draco and I. Good day, Mr. Malfoy."

She stood up, and held out her hand. Lucius eyed it before taking it in his own and pumping it twice. Hermione turned on her heel to leave the room, sure she would collapse if she stayed here a moment longer.

"Miss Granger," Lucius' voice stopped her. "I apologize for misreading your intentions. Thank you for what you're doing."

Hermione turned once more, nodded, and then left the room. Everything was so out of the ordinary already. Why not add Lucius Malfoy apologizing and thanking her to the list?

"'Mione, Gin, we should leave now," Harry's voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

Hermione nodded, and placed the baby in his mother's waiting arms.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, as they waited for Ginny to put on James' jacket and shoes.

"Yeah," she said, trying her best to school her shivering voice to its normal characteristics. She floo'd to the Weasley's when she saw Ginny was ready, leaving the family to follow right behind her.

"Hermione, dear," Molly's voice came instantly, and the older woman pulled her into a tight hug. "It's been far too long since you've visited. And my, you've lost a lot of weight. Do you want me to start bringing you a couple of pies a week? All you'd have to do is pop a quick heating charm on them, and you'd have food."

Hermione grinned. This was truly like coming home. "No, thank you, Mrs. Weasley. I'll just make it a point to come over and eat here."

"Good girl," she said, and moved to coo over her grandson and daughter. Hermione made her way to the dining table, where the rest of the Weasleys were, shouting, laughing, teasing.

"'Mione!" George yelled when he saw her. "How's the Ministry been treating you?"

"It's been good," she smiled, and took a seat on the bench. "How's the shop doing?"

"Great, of course," George replied. "Came up with a toffee that makes your tongue split and stretch like toffee last week, and it's been selling out almost every day. Would you like some?"

"I'm fine, George," she laughed. "Where's Ron?"

Bill rolled his eyes. "He's still upstairs."

"With Lavender," Percy supplied, his nose wrinkling in disgust.

"That's back on?" Hermione asked. This was surprising.

"Yeah, and it's gross," George replied. "I have half a mind to use our teeth blackening toothpaste on her when she's around in the mornings. That girl is the definition obnoxious and annoying."

Everyone at the table burst out into laughter at the image of Lavender walking around with a set of black teeth.

"What's so funny?" Ron's voice abruptly stopped their laughter. Lavender was attached to his arm, and smiling widely at everyone.

"Nothing, just telling them about how you slipped in the restaurant last week," George said, his face completely straight.

Ron blushed, as they took a seat. "Will you stop telling everyone that story? And it was your slip gel I fell on."

"I have to test my products," George shrugged, sending everyone except Ron into another bout of laughter.

"Okay, now," Molly came in holding a large roast chicken on a bed of potatoes and beans, shutting down the argument. "Everyone find their places."

Everyone knew better than to disobey Molly, and there was an immediate scatter as everyone found an empty spot to settle in.

Fleur and Ginny were right behind, holding platters of bread, gravy, and even a pudding.

It was noisy as everyone passed dishes, serving themselves larger portions than they would normally have, knowing that the food was delicious and they would go for seconds afterwards anyway.

"To family, and having abundant and lovely meals like these," Arthur toasted once everyone was ready.

"To family," everyone agreed, holding up their glasses of butterbeer and cider.

This was the perfect moment, Hermione decided. "Actually, I have some news."

"We're engaged!" a voice yelled, but it wasn't her own. She looked around and saw Lavender standing up, practically giddy, and pulling a sheepish Ron to stand up next to her.

Instantly, everyone was surrounding them, hugging them and asking all the necessary questions about the proposal.

Hermione kept trying to talk, but her voice kept getting drowned by the noise. If she didn't do it now, she would definitely lose the courage to do it later.

"I'm getting married!" she finally yelled after the twentieth attempt of trying to announce it.

Everyone turned around slowly, confusion etched on their faces.

"To who, dear?" Molly asked.

"Draco Malfoy," she said slowly.

"Draco Malfoy, the death eater?" Ron asked.

"No, Draco Malfoy, the businessman is my fiancée," Hermione corrected defiantly.

Ron burst out into laughter then, and some of his family followed nervously. "Oh, Hermione, you come up with some of the most bizarre pranks ever. Almost had me there too, you, getting married to Malfoy," he said between wheezes.

"I'm not joking," she said, and she felt her anger bubbling up.

"Right, so I'm just supposed to believe that you're marrying Malfoy," Ron laughed again. Now, everyone else was looking at her in concern. Everyone else was starting to believe she was being honest.

"I am, so you should believe it," Hermione said, crossing her arms and tilting her head, as if daring him to question her further.

"But, Hermione, when did you even start dating him?" Harry asked.

"Five months ago," she replied.

"Why didn't you tell us, Hermione?" Harry asked, the hurt evident on his face.

Hermione rushed forward to face him. "I wasn't sure of anything, and I didn't know how you'd react, I'm so sorry, Harry."

"We're supposed to be friends, Hermione," Harry said simply, shaking his arm out of her hold.

"We are, I-"

"You tell your friends the important things, 'Mione. I know we haven't been able to be as close as we were, but the important things are still to be shared."

"I'm so sorry, Harry, I-"

"Don't stress, Harry," Ron cut her off. "She'll never go through with it. Are you just doing it to spite me because I'm engaged?"

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked, in disbelief of what he had just alleged.

"Are you actually in love with Malfoy and going to marry him? Because I don't believe that. There must be some extended agenda or-"

"The wedding is in two weeks," Hermione said, clenching her fists to control her anger. "And if you choose to attend, you can see me go through with it."

"Are you under the imperius, 'Mione? Stick out your tongue and tap your head and rub your stomach, if you aren't," Ron said exasperatedly.

"I am going to say this one last time for you, Ronald," Hermione said. "I'm getting married in two weeks to Draco."

Ron huffed, and pulled a struggling Lavender out of the room, leaving Hermione to face the other Weasleys and Harry.

"Congratulations, Hermione," Arthur patted her awkwardly on the back, offering a small smile.

Slowly, all the Weasleys congratulated her, and sat back on their seats. This had been a pretty usual and dramatic Weasley brunch.

She excused herself and walked outside to where she knew Harry would be standing. Sure enough, he was right there, leaning against the wall and looking up at the sky.

"Harry, I-"

"'Mione, are you happy?"

Hermione could only nod.

"And is he actually a decent guy to you?"

Hermione nodded.

"Then I'll make sure all of us are at your wedding," Harry smiled. "But you need to promise to tell me all the big things that happen in your life, no matter what you think my reaction would be. We're stronger than that."

Hermione nodded, sniffing away her tears, and pulled him into a hug.

 _Remember why you're doing this,_ she reminded herself. It's all she could do right now that her mind was made up.

* * *

 **(A/N: Thank you for reading and for all the love on this new version. Let me know what your thoughts are so far.**

 **To be continued)**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

 **24 April 2005**

Two weeks had seemed like the shortest and simultaneously, the longest time Hermione had ever lived. Every day had seemed to end quickly, and move to the next, closer and closer to the day, and yet, with everything going on, each day seemed to last forever and never end.

The news had sent the media into a frenzy, with each outlet fighting to find new sources who would let them get the first report on the wedding that had come out of literally nowhere. Hermione's friends had had to block all owls, Draco's office now had a team of security guards keeping the reporters out. Everyone wanted to know the backstory, everyone wanted to be invited to what was being reported to be the wedding of the century. The two subjects of discussion and their families remained strictly tight-lipped about the whole fiasco despite being hounded by paparazzi the moment they stepped out in public.

Narcissa had taken it upon herself to organize the wedding, despite Hermione and Draco's requests for a quiet ceremony enough to prove the legitimacy to the Ministry. Being the socialite she was didn't allow for a quiet ceremony, and she wanted to make sure everyone bought into the story they were trying to sell. Instead, she convinced them that the guest list would be tiny, but the wedding itself would be beautiful enough that any guests would be happy to provide testimony as to how happy the young couple looked.

Hermione's parents had repeatedly asked about financing the wedding, but Draco had assured them that the Malfoy's were happy to bear the expense. He was already asking so much of Hermione, and he couldn't allow them to fund a wedding that was short-lived anyway. No, they could save the money for when she actually got married for real.

Hermione was thankful to Draco for getting her parents out of that. However, she hadn't been able to get out of wearing her mother's wedding dress. Claire Granger had insisted, and Hermione had cried when she saw the dress. She had always thought she would wear it on her own wedding day, but not like this. Not when the whole marriage was going to be a sham.

It had been hard, keeping such a big secret from everyone. She seemed to make everyone mad with her plans. Harry, Ron, the Weasleys. Ginny hadn't replied to her for days, only coming around after Hermione had taken over a bottle of wine and a batch of fresh brownies for some girl chatting time. Lila, especially, had been shocked and upset with Hermione for keeping her whole "relationship" a secret.

"I thought we were friends," she had said, slamming down the Daily Prophet with her and Draco's photos on the cover.

"Lila, I meant to tell you, and I-"

"I've been trying to set you up with guys, and I tell you everything about my life. And you had plenty of opportunities to bring it up. Or did you not trust me to keep your secret?"

"Lila, you know it isn't like that," Hermione stood up. She hated this, hurting her friends, telling them lies and made up stories. "It was because we wanted to keep his son out of the mess, and-"

"You could've told me, Hermione," Lila said.

"I know, but it wasn't my decision alone," Hermione pleaded. "You know I trust you. I was going to tell you the moment you came in today."

"Congratulations, I guess," Lila said, and left her office.

Hermione had spent the next week trying to explain herself to Lila, and Hermione could've cried when Lila finally forgave her and reverted to being her usual self, asking every detail she could think of. She had even agreed to be Hermione's bridesmaid, only behind Ginny's matron of honor.

When Hermione woke up the morning of the wedding, it had taken her an hour in bed to convince herself that the day was actually her wedding day. She was even tempted to pinch herself, as if trying to wake herself up from a dream.

Her mother would be here in an hour to help her start getting ready, so she swung her legs off the bed, forcing herself to get ready. She looked at her reflection in her bathroom mirror as she brushed her teeth, and tried practicing her fake bridal smile. It just came across as constipated, and she gave up and went to stand under her shower to try and clear her mind. When she had been a little girl, Hermione had imagined herself looking ethereal and graceful on her wedding day, waking up to beautiful music, smiling as she got ready surrounded by her family and friends. The reality was as far away from her idea as possible.

She shook the feeling of dread and disappointment and changed into a pair of straight legged jeans and an old, light blue t-shirt. Her hair was far too difficult to deal with while on an empty stomach, so she simply wrapped it up in a towel, and decided to make herself a hot cup of Earl Grey and jam sandwich. Maybe some food would help with the violent butterflies fluttering in her stomach at the moment.

She had seriously considered this decision she had made. There was still not a clear indication to her as to why she was doing this. When had she become so sensitive to others, not just friends, issues? Was it even the right move on her part? What if everything she had worked for, career wise, family wise, friends wise, was lost, simply because she couldn't turn her head the other way when she saw a problem arise? What if she was left with nothing after this ended?

It all came back to Scorpius. Hermione knew that her parents would've understood eventually, especially once they heard that Scorpius would be so unhappy with Astoria, that she had done it all only to protect a little boy from living an unhappy life. Harry too, would see her point of view, she supposed, if he put himself in Draco's place. Certainly, the Weasleys would. And as for her work, well, that just gave her more incentive to make sure this thing stayed under wraps. If she just took living with Draco Malfoy as another project they were working on together, she was sure they could pull it off.

She sighed, and lifted the whistling kettle to pour tea into her waiting mug, but set it down instantly when she heard her doorbell ring.

"Hermione!" Claire said excitedly when her daughter opened the door, and pulled her in for a hug.

"Mum, come in," Hermione said. "I just put on some tea. Would you like some?"

"Sounds lovely," Claire agreed, taking off her coat and hanging it on one of the hooks near the door. "Where are Ginny and Lila now?"

"They're only coming in about an hour or so," Hermione's reply came from the kitchen, where she pulled out another mug from her cabinet.

"But we've only got five hours!" Claire said, following Hermione to the kitchen. "That's not nearly enough time for us all to get ready and take pictures and everything. Richard's coming in two hours, and he's bringing his camera, and you know that his photoshoot is going to take two hours on its own."

Hermione laughed. She felt a lot calmer with her mother's presence. "Well, makeup is hardly going to take a half hour, and Lila says she knows some charms to deal with my hair," Hermione said, handing her mother the mug and sipping on her own tea. "And I think Ginny said she'll come in dressed, so you're the only one who is going to take time."

"Oh, stop it," Claire laughed at her daughters teasing. "And I thought it would barely take me any time to get ready on my wedding day too, but it ended up taking us close to seven hours for us all to be ready."

"Seven?" Hermione balked at the idea of sitting in one place for seven hours, simply getting ready.

"Well, with all the crying and everything, you have to keep redoing the makeup," Claire shrugged. "And trust me, the tears will come once it sinks in that this is your last day as a single woman, and that you're committing to a life with Draco."

Hermione only nodded, not knowing what to say in return. Only if her mother knew that not too soon after today, she would be back to being a single woman, and without any commitments.

"You look very han-some, Daddy," Scorpius said, from his seat in the center of the room. Draco was knotting his tie in front of the mirror, almost ready to go down and begin the festivities.

He smiled, and turned to his son. "Well, it seems like your choice really is the best."

"I told you!" his son said proudly. "The grey one would've looked yucky."

Draco laughed and picked his son up. Scorpius and Draco were both dressed in Scorpius' choice of a black suit with light grey shirts. Both had had their pale blonde hair combed to the side, and Scorpius had stolen one of the red roses Narcissa had used in the decorations to place in his pocket.

The entire Malfoy mansion was filled with flowers and crystals, everything had been dusted and cleaned, and the whole house was lit up with the most beautiful candles and chandeliers. Outside, in the sprawling grounds, Narcissa had orchestrated the most beautiful decorations of sculptures of roses and the softest white tulle. The altar stood tall and large, spacious and airy for the seventy-five guests they had decided to invite. The tent was covered in the palest pink, almost white silk, and flowers in shades of red and white adorned the entire fabric, almost forming a roof on the heads of the guests. The aisle itself was flanked by red roses and tall lanterns of crystals which reflected beautiful patterns in the light, and led to a small platform that was framed by an arch of roses. Narcissa had made sure everything looked amazing, and Draco had paled significantly when he had caught sight of the décor in the morning.

Yes, today was his second wedding. No, he wasn't ready. Yes, he needed this marriage. No, he wasn't ready for it.

"Ready to go, mate?" Draco asked his son, taking a deep and calming breath.

"Yes, Daddy," Scorpius said. "Did you know there's four different kinds of cake? Nana Cissa said I can have one piece though. How is that fair?"

"That's definitely not fair," Draco said seriously. "You can have two."

"But, Daddy, four cakes!"

"Fine, two pieces, and two bites of the other flavors," Draco said, knowing that Scorpius would be in a sugar shock if he ate any more.

"Thank you, Daddy," Scorpius said, kissing his father on the cheek. He knew he'd be able to wrangle more cake later.

"Draco, let's go," Narcissa entered the room in. "Hermione and her parents are here, and we have to start now."

"Okay, I'm ready," Draco replied, looking at the knot of his tie once more, before grabbing Scorpius' hand, ready to face the guests and put on a show for them.

"Just one second," Narcissa said, placing a hand on his chest to stop him. "I just-I wanted to apologize to you, Draco. For everything. Your father and I really don't know how to make it all up to you."

She looked at her son, pleading that he understand the seriousness in her words. Draco could only nod in return.

"We're so proud of you, Draco," she continued when he remained silent. "Of everything you've done and everything you've become."

Draco hugged his mother then, and realized how long it had been since he had done this. He had longed to hear those words as a child, especially from his father. Now, coming from his mother, he realized he no longer needed them, but appreciated them. They had come so far as a family and as individuals, and he could only hope they could all be good role models for Scorpius as he grew older.

"Daddy, let's go," Scorpius said, tugging on his father's hand. "I want to see 'Mione."

Narcissa laughed as she pulled back. "You know, he might like her better than he likes you."

"Don't even joke about that right now," Draco said with a huff, but Narcissa could see the amused grin pull at the corners of his mouth. "Now let's go!"

Narcissa linked her arm with his, and led him to the backyard where the guests sat in wait. Draco could honestly say he was less nervous this time than last time as he walked those last few steps. It was probably because he knew it was temporary and nothing bad could come from it.

"Smile," Narcissa whispered and they walked down the aisle, and Draco resisted the urge to look down at her as if she were bonkers.

His mother made sure to put on a big show of kissing him on the cheek as they reached the altar, and to take Scorpius with her to their seats in the front row.

Draco smiled curtly at the Minister, who was going over his notes, and crossed his arms behind his back and he heard the music start.

First came Lila, Hermione's assistant, who he had met only twice. She wore a midi halter neck dress in the deepest purple, and carried a tasteful bouquet of white, pink, and dark red roses, flanked by sprigs of baby's breath. She was followed by Ginny, in a similar dress. He could see Harry in the second row to his right, and he could feel the glare Ron was throwing him from his seat next to Harry. Hermione's mother sat right in front of Harry, and was busy chatting with Lucius and Narcissa. Lucius looked surprisingly comfortable and not with the expected murderous surprise in his eyes.

Draco could only imagine what they were talking about.

He saw Scorpius fidgeting in his seat, and shot him a look warning him to behave, smiling when the boy obeyed.

Then the music changed, and everyone stood up. At the far end, Draco saw Hermione walk in beside her father. He had to admit, she cleaned up rather well. She was dressed in a short -sleeved lace and tulle dress, not too poofy and not too plain. She actually looked quite pretty with her hair and makeup done tastefully, and Draco supposed it was the change from her usual work clothes that had suddenly made her look like an altogether different woman.

She met his eyes, and they smiled at each other awkwardly. A month ago, they were fighting over some detail of the school, and here they were, getting married. No one, not even themselves, could've predicted this. But they were here to put on a show, and they would put on a great one for sure.

He saw her sigh deeply as she neared him, and he could only pray nothing changed her mind and made her run the opposite way now, when they had come so far. Theo, his best man, gave him a quick pat on the back, and Draco tore his gaze from her and smiled at him. It was all part of the act.

Ginny stepped down and helped Hermione adjust her gown as stood to Draco's right and nodded politely at the Minister. When Ginny had taken her place again, the Minister signaled for the band to stop playing and cleared his throat before speaking.

"Family and Friends, we have come here, on this beautiful day, to bless Hermione Jean Granger and Draco Abraxas Malfoy as they come together to make a formal commitment to each other, and join together in the scared bond of matrimony. A marriage, as most of us understand it, is a voluntary and full commitment. It is made in the deepest sense to the exclusion of all others, and it is entered into with the desire and hope that it will last for life. Before you declare your vows to one another, I want to hear you confirm that it is indeed your intention to be married today. Hermione, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to Draco in marriage? If so, answer 'I do'"

Hermione took a deep breath before replying. "I do."

"Draco," the Minister continued. "Do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to Hermione in marriage? If so, answer 'I do.'"

"I do," Draco replied.

"Then, please face each other and place your hands in the other's," the Minister said, waiting for them to comply. They turned toward each other, and Draco could see the nerves on her face and feel the shaking of her hands as she slowly placed them in his.

"Hermione, please repeat after me," the man continued. "I, Hermione Jean Granger, take you, Draco Abraxas Malfoy, to be my husband."

"I, Hermione Jean Granger, take you, Draco Abraxas Malfoy, to be my husband." Hermione's voice was shaky, and all Draco could do was give her a small smile of confidence and gratefulness.

"…I will share my life with yours, build our dreams together, support you through times of trouble, and rejoice with you in times of happiness."

"…I promise to give you respect, love and loyalty through all the trials and triumphs of our lives together."

"…This commitment is made in love, kept in faith, lived in hope, and made new every day of our lives."

Every word she spoke rang false to her, and she was surprised not a single guest had created a ruckus and called her out on it.

Then it was Draco's turn with the vows, and Hermione found herself wanting to run away laughing at his words. Maybe ten years down the road, they would be able to laugh about all this and what they had said to each other in pretense.

"Your wedding ring are the outward and visible sign of the inward and invisible bond which already unites you two hearts in love," the Minister declared next, and held his hand out for Theo and Ginny to place the rings on it. Hermione and Draco were both fighting off the laughter bubbling in their gut at the moment. Apparently, they could laugh at the ridiculousness right away.

"Draco, place the ring on Hermione's finger and repeat after me," the Minister continued, oblivious to the humor the couple in front of him had found in his words.

"I give you this ring. Wear it with love and joy. As this ring has no end, my love is also forever," Draco repeated after the Minister had guided him, and slid the gold band on Hermione's hand, right over her engagement ring, a six carat diamond ring, flanked by circles of yellow and blue sapphires, that they had found in the Malfoy vault. Narcissa had informed him it had been a twenty-fifth wedding anniversary present to his paternal grandmother, Amabella from his grandfather, Abraxas, and Draco had informed his mother he didn't care for the history since it would be back in the vault within the year.

The Minister nodded once Draco had completed the task, and turned to Hermione. "Hermione, place the ring on Draco's finger and repeat after me."

"I give you this ring. Wear it with love and joy. As this ring has no end, my love is also forever," Hermione repeated once the Minister was done, her voice wavering with the intensity of the urge to laugh. Luckily for her, the guests thought it was simply a sweet, emotional moment.

"Please kneel," the Minister commanded, and waited for them to comply before waving his wand and lighting the candles at the altar. He waved his wand again, and a golden ray, flowing like a ribbon, formed itself into an infinity symbol over their heads. "You may stand up now."

"Please sign these documents, so your commitment to each other may be recognized legally," he continued, and Draco wondered when this might be over. He desperately wanted to loosen his tie.

He quickly picked up the pen and signed his name on the appropriate spot, and waited for Hermione to do the same. Ginny and Theo acted as their witnesses, and signed the document, before it vanished into thin air, having been approved and sealed the moment they had all signed, becoming a permanent record at the Ministry.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," the Minister declared, waving his wand to cause rose petals to shower upon the couple and the guests. "Draco, you may now kiss your bride."

Right.

The kiss.

How could he have forgotten about that? He had been married before, and he had forgotten about the damn kiss.

Now what?

He turned to Hermione, and saw his panic mirrored in her eyes.

But they had to kiss. It would be suspicious if they didn't.

But how would they kiss?

Just a quick one, then.

Draco bent forward, and quickly touched his lips to hers, counting to three in his head to try not to appear too cold and unloving, too unlike a new husband.

There, that wasn't too bad, was it?

Good thing both of them remembered not to wipe their mouths afterwards.

"I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Draco Malfoy," the Minister announced, and the couple were thankful for the diversion. "The reception will begin in twenty minutes, so you are all free to assemble in the Ballroom."

Draco practically pulled Hermione away from the tent and into the house, where they could rest for a while before making their entrance into the reception.

They had done it. They were married.

Thank Merlin the hardest part was over. Now they only had to go to a hearing, prove Draco was the better parent, and then they could get divorced, and that was the easy part.

Right?

* * *

 **(To be continued)**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

 **24 April 2005**

Hermione's mouth hurt from fake smiling so much. After their entrance, Narcissa had taken her around the room, introducing her to all of their friends, basically anyone who could be asked to vouch for the authenticity of their marriage. She had felt the sneers and shock radiating from some of the older guests, people who still couldn't believe that the Malfoy's had come into a relationship with someone of lesser blood. Unfortunately, generations of traditions hadn't diluted for all the aristocrats, and Hermione loathed talking to these people. If the war hadn't changed them, nothing could.

Then, after readings from Narcissa and Hermione's father, Narcissa had gestured to the newlyweds to make their way to the dance floor for their first dance. This was a day of cringes and awkwardness, it appeared, as Draco and Hermione tried coming up with every excuse to get out of dancing alone in front of all their guests and appear to be in love. Their minds failed them, however, and with great reluctance, they stepped on to the dance floor in the middle of the ballroom. Hermione had consciously left two feet of distance between them, and Draco had made sure to place his arm in the middle of her back, rather than intimately on her waist.

"I hate how they're staring," Hermione had whispered through her smile.

"Me too," Draco muttered back. "I can't wait for this day to end."

"Agreed," Hermione said. "Maybe I can fake being sick, and we can leave."

"My mother will see right through that," Draco frowned. "And can you imagine what our guests will assume if we left early."

Hermione giggled. "Work rather well to convince them that we _are_ in love, don't you think, though?"

"Yeah," Draco grinned, twirling her around to the calming strains of music from the live band. "It'd spread like wildfire through every group, too."

"Do they have nothing better to do than sit and gossip about that stuff?" Hermione crinkled her nose.

"Not really, no," Draco laughed.

Hermione shook her head, and went back into position again, lightly moving her palm across the fabric of his coat. It was rather soft, and she had a habit of fiddling. She could also smell the fabric, weird as it was, despite the distance, and she liked the clean and new smell coming through Draco's scent. She had never been quite this close to him, and from here, she could smell bergamot and amber, presumably from his cologne. It was a nice smell. Posh, and nothing she'd be attracted to on a guy herself, but at least he didn't smell sweaty and like a troll.

"Hermione?" Draco's voice distracted her thought process.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

Hermione looked up at him, and smiled softly. "It's okay," she said.

"No, seriously," Draco persisted. "I know this has been really hard on you, and I honestly can't thank you enough for all that you're doing for me. For Scorpius."

"Well, you better not let anyone hear that, or they might think you're already whipped," Hermione laughed, trying to move on from the awkward conversation.

Draco simply raised his eyebrow, amused by her words. "They would now, would they?"

"Stop twisting my words," Hermione said, flustered.

"Sounds like you want to do the twisting," Draco teased. "Have a little dominant streak in you, do you Granger?"

She slapped him lightly on the arm, unable to meet his eyes. "You know I meant-"

"I know what you meant," Draco laughed at her embarrassment. "Do you want to go back to our seats now?"

Hermione nodded, and followed Draco back to the head table, grateful that the dance and the conversation were done.

"'Mione?" Harry was in front of her not soon after. In all the scheduling of the wedding, she hadn't gotten a chance to spend any time with the people she loved, and she was instantly on her feet and hugging Harry.

"You came!"

"Of course, I did," he laughed. "And I kept my promise. Look there."

He pointed to another table, where all the Weasleys sat, chatting with her parents. Even Ron was there, sulking and stabbing at the food on his plate while Lavender tried to pull him to the dance floor.

"Thank you, Harry," she said, tears in her eyes.

"Do you want to dance?" he asked, extending a hand toward her.

"Of course!" she placed her hand in his and followed him to the dance floor.

They danced then, and it reminded her of that night when they were on the run. They had danced then, and they were dancing now. Yet, the circumstances couldn't be more different. They had been children then, scared and pushed into adulthood. They were adults now, and she still felt scared, but this time, it stemmed from her own decision. The only thing in common was them, and she never wanted their relationship to sour. It was pure and good, and she was so proud of where Harry had come.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, noticing her eyes getting watery.

Hermione sniffed and nodded. "Just hit me how far we've come."

"Yes, you're married to _Malfoy_ ," Harry teased.

"Yes, I am," Hermione sighed. It was hard not to.

"Are you honestly happy with this, 'Mione?" he asked suspiciously.

"Yes, I'm happy with my decision," she said cautiously, phrasing her answer to reflect the truth. No, she wasn't in love with her new husband. But yes, she was happy with her decision to marry him. If it saved Scorpius, of course she was happy.

* * *

"Bye, Hermione," Narcissa said, patting her new daughter-in-law on the arm. "Let me know if you need anything."

"Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy," Hermione smiled. The guests were long gone, and had left the newly married couple to their own. Narcissa had insisted on seeing them back to Draco's place, to make sure Hermione was comfortable.

"If you'd like, I can send Neriti over with some food in the morning, and-"

"No, thank you, Mother," Draco interrupted. "I think I've got it from here."

Narcissa rolled her eyes, smiled at Scorpius, who was drowsily resting his head on Draco's shoulder. "Good night, sweetheart."

"G'night, Nana," Scorpius yawned.

Narcissa petted his head affectionately before stepping in the floo. Once she was gone, Draco sighed and moved to put Scorpius down for the night. It was a tough job, as Scorpius did not want to move even the tiniest bit for Draco to change him into his night clothes, so Draco decided to use magic to make his life easier. When he was sure Scorpius was sound asleep, he quietly moved his hand from his head, and left the room, desperately needing a glass of firewhiskey before he too went to bed.

He hadn't realized how exhausted he was until he sat on the bar stool, nursing his second glass. His back was sore, his feet were tired, and there was a crick in his neck that would annoy him to no end for the next week.

"Draco?" Hermione's voice called, and he was surprised to find her on the living room couch.

"You're still up?"

"Yes," she fidgeted, walking toward him. "I didn't know where to put my stuff."

Of course, she didn't. He hadn't told her. He could hit himself in the head right now.

"Sorry," he stood up, and picked her bag for her. "You can stay in the second master suite."

"You have two master suites?" Hermione asked, quietly following him.

"It's technically the guest suite, but it's big enough to be the master room," Draco explained dryly. Malfoy Manor had had ten different rooms amongst the dozens of others that could warrant the status of master bedroom, so this house was tiny compared to that.

And this room truly was massive. Hermione estimated that her entire living room and kitchen were still smaller than this room. A large window was on the other side, and a lovely window seat was by it, and Hermione could already see herself spending hours on it, curled up with a book. The walls were cream, but the furniture and the décor accents brought in an elegant pop of pale blue and light gold. The bedspread on the giant bed was also blue, and if Draco weren't here, Hermione would have plopped onto the pile of pillows on it.

"The closet is to your right," he explained. "And you can get to the bathroom through the closet. I asked Missy to make sure everything was available for you when you moved in, but if you need anything else, you can let me know, and I'll make sure you have it."

Hermione nodded, still taking in her surroundings.

"Good night, then," Draco said awkwardly, before leaving and shutting the door behind him.

Hermione was in the bathtub not five minutes later, thankful for the hot water soothing her muscles.

Welcome to your life as a married woman, Mrs. Malfoy.

No, that sounded wrong even as a joke.

Even though it was the truth.

Ugh.

* * *

 **(To be continued)**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

 **5 May 2005**

"Did he give you any trouble?" Draco asked as Hermione walked into the kitchen where Draco was finishing his breakfast. Hermione had insisted he eat some despite his protests that he wasn't hungry. They both knew it was the nerves, and they both knew to avoid the topic until it absolutely had to be addressed. Today was the day of Scorpius' custody ruling.

"No, he ran straight to his friends," Hermione shrugged, clearing away his plate.

She had offered to take Scorpius to school so Draco could eat breakfast. Over the weeks since they had gotten married, Hermione would accompany Draco to take Scorpius to school, mainly because the little boy insisted on having her there. It had been impossible to say no to him, even if it were just the little task of standing there while he entered his classroom. They had quickly become bonded, with Hermione using her knowledge of children from being around Teddy and Victoire. She would make him breakfast every morning, and teach him songs and rhymes from her own childhood. She would sneak in lessons in numbers or the alphabet, and read to him books she had found in her childhood room every night. Scorpius was like a sponge, soaking up every ounce of love and attention she gave him, and Draco would watch the two, trying to settle his jealousy. It was good Scorpius liked her, he would remind himself, as it would only help their case. And anyway, she would leave and Scorpius was _his_ son at the end of the day. Scorpius just hadn't had such constant and hands-on love from Astoria, and he was enjoying it while it was all new.

"That's good," Draco said absently. He couldn't help the feeling of dread that had settled in his gut. What was going to happen today, he had no idea.

"Ready to go?" Hermione asked, glancing at the kitchen clock. "We don't want to be late."

Draco nodded, and stood up, going to the sink to wash his hands.

"You have some, uh-, right there," Hermione said, pointing to his lip when he turned toward her.

Draco wiped at his mouth with a tissue, and saw that a bit of jam had escaped his toast. This here was another thing that had changed in his household. He hadn't anticipated how awkward it would be to live with another woman, let alone Hermione. He was constantly doing awkward things around her, and she was always dropping things or fidgeting around weirdly. They weren't friends, but they were married and living together. They weren't close, but they had to pretend like a married couple in public, leave alone a couple in love.

Draco found himself avoiding the public altogether.

A week ago, they had gone to Florean's to get ice cream with Scorpius. He hadn't invited Hermione at first, and was even about to step in the fireplace before he realized it would be rude to not ask her. When they had entered the shop, her friend Lila had been there, and the two were forced to pretend like they liked each other. She had flung an arm around his waist, and he had hesitantly placed an arm across her shoulder. He had had to laugh at her friends' teasing and all their jokes, and after that day, he decided a reclusive lifestyle was best for everyone involved, especially him.

It wasn't that she was ugly or dull. She was very pretty, actually, and it was obvious to everyone who met her that she was much like a firecracker-full of life and very feisty. He didn't dislike her and he didn't like her. He was… neutral about her. Very grateful, and forever in her debt, that he was, but not attracted to her. And pretending to be in love with someone he wasn't attracted to was far more difficult than he had thought. Living with her far more difficult, given how stubborn both were. Two weeks of living together had given them both ample opportunities to fight. There was the infamous house-elf argument, which honestly, he had been expecting.

 _"You have house-elves? I cannot believe you still have slaves, when we are living in the twenty-first century. How can you be so cavalier about such an important systemic issue?" she had gone off one morning, when Missy was serving him breakfast._

 _He had merely looked over the newspaper, and done his best to avoid rolling his eyes. "They're paid."_

 _"But-"_

 _"And they have days off, and the choice to leave," he had simply said, going back to his paper. It wouldn't take much prodding from anyone for him to admit that seeing Hermione's mouth shut the way it had was one of the top moments in his life_.

Then there was the argument over that Muggle device he had come to hate out of sheer discomfort, the thing she called the "telly".

 _"Why do we need to have this in my home?" he had asked, eyeing the moving pictures and sounds with suspicion._

 _"Because I like watching it," Hermione had simply said._

 _"Then put it in your room," he had protested._

 _"But the telly is never in a bedroom," she had rolled her eyes at his petulance._

 _"But-"_

 _"It's staying," she had stated, before leaning back and watching something she explained to be a "soap opera"._

But he was trying to at the very least get along with her, for everything rested on that, and he would succeed or die trying.

"Let's go?" he said, throwing the napkin away.

"Draco?" she said right as he set foot in his fireplace.

"Yes?"

"You'll win this," she said. "We've got this."

He nodded. If he opened his mouth to say a single word, he would probably throw up.

He floo'd away then, and Hermione was right behind him.

She was nervous, too. They had to keep up appearances today. No mistakes. She only hoped their case would appeal to the jury, and they were able to win. If not, this whole thing would've been for nothing. All the lies, all the efforts, all the adjustments would've been futile. And she was too involved now to not be affected by the outcome. Ideally, they would win full custody, and five months and two weeks later they could divorce and go back to their lives.

"Draco, Hermione," Alfred, Draco's lawyer waved them down, gesturing that they follow him to the elevator. "We have some time to go over some of the details before the proceedings start. How are you feeling, Draco?"

"Nervous," Draco said, holding on to the railing in the elevator as it took them down to the courts. "What are our chances today, Alfred?"

"We have a strong case, Draco," Alfred explained. "But you never know with the Wizengamot."

Draco pursed his mouth and nodded. Hermione could feel the nerves on him, and she felt them affecting her too.

"Okay, there's a seating area right through here," Alfred said, leading them out of the elevator and through the hallways to a small alcove with a bench. "The door right in front of you is where we need to assemble in fifteen minutes."

Draco nodded. "I sent you the five witness statements, written and signed by them, last night."

"Yes, I submitted them this morning for the jury review documents," Alfred nodded. "I wanted to quickly go over your statements. We really need you to emphasize your bond with Scorpius and how hands-on you are. I know it may not be your instinct to do it, but it's really important you fight the other side on any point they bring up to you, especially if it is Astoria's bond with Scorpius over yours."

"I thought it would be best for me to-"

"How dare you, Draco?" Astoria was in front of them, interrupting Hermione.

"Astoria," Draco stood up, noticing her father and lawyer right behind her.

"If you think marrying a mudblood is going to keep Scorpius away from me, you are wrong," she said, and Hermione glared at her. She knew she didn't like the woman for a reason.

"You will do well to remember that is my wife you are talking about," Draco said calmly, a threat just under his tone. "And Scorpius will remain with me. You don't deserve him."

"I know you married that _thing_ just to spite me, and I won't let you succeed," Astoria spat.

"Nothing I do or think has anything to do with you, Astoria. You stopped mattering to me when you decided to cheat on me. Only Scorpius matters to me now, and I will gain full custody."

"Come, Astoria," her father interrupted before she could speak. "We will prove that this mudblood is not capable of taking care of our Scorpius."

"She's been more competent in the last two weeks than you have been in the last three years of your life," Draco said, as they retreated away from him, and then sunk back on his seat.

"Thank you," Hermione whispered.

"What for?"

"You know…"

"I just said the truth, Granger."

"It was still really nice of you."

"They're ready for us," Alfred said, nodding to the guard who was waving them over.

Draco could honestly say this was scarier than his trial after the war. He'd felt defeated and lost then, and wasn't too afraid of the outcome. All he had stood to lose then had been further ostracism from society, and given that other people being tried had way worse offenses than he had, his Azkaban stint would've been shorter than the rest. This time, he felt like he had everything to lose, and the probability that the jury might be swayed toward the worst-case scenario frightened him to his bones.

Hermione followed close behind him, and she was nervous too. She knew these things were nasty, and Astoria and her father didn't seem above throwing deep insults. She couldn't even imagine the dirt they would bring up. Her only hope was that they didn't find any evidence of the lie behind her and Draco's marriage.

They both sat side-by-side behind Alfred, neither able to speak a word as the reality bore down upon them.

"Today we will be reviewing case 1194DF, regarding the custody of one Scorpius Lucius Malfoy. The two parties are Astoria Marie Greengrass and Draco Abraxas Malfoy. We will now hear statements from the legal representatives of both sides. Mr. Llewelyn, you may start."

"Miss Greengrass loves her son very much, and is delighted to announce that she will be marrying Mr. Blaise Zabini next month, and is expecting the couple's first child together. Any child would be happy in their care, as they have a loving family to provide for the boy. Miss Greengrass hopes that you see that a mother understands her child like no one else, and do not part her son from her," Horatio spoke, and sat back in his seat.

"Very well," the Wizengamot head said. "Mr. Deyes, your statement?"

"Thank you, Sir," Alfred said, clearing his throat. "Mr. Malfoy has been an ideal and hands-on caregiver to Scorpius, and it is evident to all friends and family that Scorpius and Mr. Malfoy share an extremely close bond that is unmatched by anyone in Scorpius' life. Mr. Malfoy had tried, from day one of his son's life, to be a good role-model, disciplinarian, and a loving parent. With Mrs. Malfoy now in the household, the family is very happy, and it would greatly disrupt the child's life and mind to be moved from a home where he is happy and comfortable."

Draco didn't hear any of this. Numbness set in, and it felt like he was watching the scene through a portkey. It definitely didn't feel like he was breathing in the cold air, didn't feel the eyes of everyone on him every time someone brought up his name. He thought he saw his parents slip in at some point, and he felt Hermione wave at his mother, but his mind had lost control of his body and a constant ringing had settled in his ears. It might've been the room, or it might've been his heart. He didn't know, and couldn't focus in on the details of his surroundings. His heart continued to race faster than it had ever raced before as lawyers from both sides argued and debated, as Astoria, her father, Hermione, his mother all took the stand and faced the questions thrown at them. He had vaguely felt the eyes on him whenever his name came up during the conversation, but any reaction to it was blocked. He didn't even hear the first time they called his name, and stood up rather dazedly when Hermione nudged him and whispered that they were calling him for questioning.

"Please state your full name for the record," the head directed him, as Draco shifted in his seat.

"Draco Abraxas Malfoy," he said. The ringing was now replaced by a deafening silence.

"You are Scorpius Lucius Malfoy's biological father, correct?"

"Yes," Draco said, resisting the strong urge to hit the man for asking such a stupid question.

"Why should this court award you the custody of the subject?"

"Scorpius is my son, and my whole world. I would do anything to protect him, and I have tried my best to provide him a happy life."

"Miss Greengrass has claimed the same. She is a mother, and by default, has a better bond with a child."

"Not with Scorpius," Draco said, clenching his fists tightly, ignoring the pain as his nails stabbed the skin of his palm. "If she cared for him, she wouldn't have cheated and broken up a family."

"How dare you!" Astoria screamed.

"Mr. Llewelyn, please control your client," the head glared at Astoria. "And Mr. Malfoy, the circumstances of your divorce are not the topic of conversation here. Please tell us why Miss Greengrass deserves custody less than you do."

"Because I did not stray away from my family, I stayed loyal, and was always there for my son. When he scraped his knee, when he was ill, when he was happy. I mean it when I say that I would do anything to make sure he grows into a kind, smart, and happy young man."

"Very well," the head said. "We have heard everything we need to, and request twenty minutes to deliberate over our final decision. All witnesses and legal officials may wait outside for that time period."

Draco was out before anyone could come up to him, and went straight to the bathroom. He felt nauseous and like he was about to cry. He had never imagined having to prove his competence as a parent, not after everything he had changed about himself and his life. The fact that the court's decision wasn't clear just added to his disappointment.

"Draco, are you in there?" his father's voice called out, surprising him.

"Yes," he replied, and stepped out of the stall.

"Are you okay, Son?" Lucius asked, a soft expression on his face that Draco would've snickered at had he not been upset.

"What do you think is going to happen?"

"You will win," Lucius said, placing an awkward hand on his son's shoulder. "Malfoy's always win."

Draco smirked a little at his father's old adage, and instantly frowned when a new thought crossed his mind.

"What if we don't this time?"

"Then we contest, and we fight this," Lucius said, shifting his cane to the other hand. "That woman is not going to take away my only grandson. Now let's go outside. Your mother might just murder Astoria inside the Ministry, and we don't need the drama."

Draco smiled, and washed his hands and face quickly, before following his father out to the hallway. Hermione and Narcissa were sitting on a bench nearby, both silent and clearly anxious. Alfred stood nearby with his assistant, presumably talking about the case.

"You okay?" Hermione asked when he sat in between her and Narcissa.

"Yes," he said. "You?"

"I don't know, that was tough."

"Yes, it was. What now?"

"Now we wait," Hermione sighed, and bent over, placing her elbows on her knees and her face in her palms.

The twenty minutes were probably the longest of his life. He remembered every birthday he had had as a child, where he would wait up till it was midnight, and he recalled thinking that the clock seemed to slow down right when there were thirty minutes left to twelve. He recalled complaining that someone had hexed the clock to move slower with every passing moment. Then he recalled complaining that another hex had caused the clock to move way faster when the day of his birthday was coming to an end.

Those had been childish complaints. These were truly minutes that felt like years of his life were passing by. He simultaneously couldn't wait for the result, and didn't want to hear it either.

"They are ready," the court guard finally stepped out, and he tightly held on to his mother's hand as they walked in.

"We, the Wizengamot, hereby declare, that upon based on the testimony that we have received today from both sides, we are unable to clearly award custody of Scorpius Lucius Malfoy to either parent. Instead, Draco Abraxas Malfoy and Astoria Marie Greengrass shall both get an equal chance to prove their ability to care for Scorpius Malfoy. In doing so, we invoke Jefford's law for family services. For six months, both households, that is, Hermione and Draco Malfoy as well as Astoria Greengrass and Blaise Zabini, will be inspected for quality of life for Scorpius Malfoy. The Ministry certified inspectors will judge the better fit, and at the end of the term, full custody will be given to the passing family. Appeals will be only accepted a year from the final ruling. During the duration of the inspections, Scorpius Malfoy shall continue to reside with Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger Malfoy. If the inspector so requires, Draco Malfoy will leave Scorpius Malfoy with Astoria Greengrass for the time period specified so that inspections can be thorough. In the case that neither family is deemed right, Scorpius Malfoy will be placed as a child of the state. This session is now closed, and unless an emergency meeting is called, the case will now be opened on 20 November 2005."

Hermione gasped audibly next to him, and Narcissa hugged him tightly. He could feel his father's hand on his shoulder, but Draco didn't move. He couldn't decide if this was good or bad. If this would give him a better fighting chance to prove his fitness as a parent or if it would backfire, and leave him with the worst-case scenario.

Would he be able to correctly show the inspector how worthy he was? Would he and Hermione be able to keep up the pretense for that long and be better than Astoria?

A million thoughts raced through his mind, and all of them impaired his ability to physically react.

"Draco?" Narcissa gently shook him. "Are you okay?"

"I honestly don't know."

"This is a good thing, right?" Hermione asked. "At least we have a shot at this. And they didn't give her custody either."

"No idea," he sighed, and stood up. He needed to go for a run, and he needed to go right now.

* * *

 **(To be continued.)**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

 **5 May 2005**

"Your son was terrified, I hope you know," a voice came from the dark, stopping Draco in his tracks.

He looked to his left, using the power of sound as he located the voice in the dark. He sighed, and muttered a quick lumos to turn on the lights in the drawing room. Hermione sat on the chair, clearly in wait for him to return. After the ruling, Draco had apparated to the countryside of Glastonbury, and had run for a while, before spending the day on a hilltop. He had needed to clear his mind desperately, and being surrounded by people who would want to talk about the morning's events did not help. Only when very frantic hunger had set in had he returned, and now, looking at how tired she looked, he felt guilty at leaving everyone else to deal with what was his mess.

"I'm sorry," he sighed, pulling off his dirty shoes before plopping himself on the sofa.

"It's after ten, Draco," Hermione said, leaning forward in her chair. "I've had to go to your office and make up and excuse for why you weren't there today, and lie to your son since I picked him up from school about why you weren't home even when he went down for the night. Not to mention, I missed an entire day of work trying to figure out where you were and if you were even alive."

"I just needed to clear my head…" he muttered, but he knew he was in the wrong.

"Next time, clear your head in the massive house you have and spare us all the worry," Hermione frowned, clearly tired with the long and seemingly never-ending day. "Good night."

"Hermione, wait," he called right as she stood up. "Thank you for taking care of things today."

"It's okay," she sighed, and sat back down. "Are you alright?"

"I think so," he said honestly. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know," she threw her head to the back of the seat. "It's going to be hard with the inspectors."

"We can't let them in on this," Draco agreed, gesturing to the two of them.

"We're going to have to really appear to be married in front of them," Hermione said.

"Exactly," he said. "If they find out, it'll be a much bigger mess than this has been."

"Do you have any ideas, then?"

"I was thinking," he started, "You could move your stuff into my room."

"You mean…?"

"No, no," Draco quickly clarified. "Only your clothes and stuff into my closet. You can sleep in your current room. It would just be for the inspections, since I doubt they're going to come in at night and check where you sleep."

"So, I'd constantly be going back and forth to get all my stuff?" Hermione frowned. "Why don't you move your stuff into my closet. That's big enough, too."

"Fine," Draco acquiesced after a pause. He didn't like the idea, but it was a small enough sacrifice. "We just have to pass off your room as ours during inspections then."

"I was also thinking," Hermione added slowly. "It would be good for me to bring Scorpius to my office after school sometimes. It would just show the Ministry that we have a good bond, too."

Draco nodded. "Anything else you can think of?"

"I suppose just public outings, and such, so we can have ample witnesses to make our case," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Makes sense," Draco said.

"That's all I have so far," Hermione said.

"Thank you, Hermione," Draco added. "For everything."

"It's okay. Though, I must say, your track record with marriages hasn't been the best so far," Hermione smirked.

"Maybe the next one will be better," he mumbled.

"Or the one after that," Hermione laughed.

"I think I might honestly be done with marriage," Draco said. "Good night, then."

"Good night," Hermione said, and walked straight to her room.

But sleep remained elusive. She knew things were going to get exponentially more difficult from this point on, and every move they made, everything they said would be analyzed under a microscope for cracks. She had anticipated the risk level of agreeing to do this before they had gotten married, but it had been a hypothetical situation then. It had been a possibility, with the most obvious outcome of their arrangement being a quick court ruling in their favor, and a divorce after the appropriate time. Of course, this was real life, and somehow, only the worst-case scenarios played out. If they were caught, the consequences would be terrible, for both of them. There would be a transfer of custody to Astoria, she knew for sure, and she would never be able to work in the Ministry again, once she was finished with her sentence.

It would be awkward, that was for sure, for they would have to make sure that everyone, their friends, their families, the public, all saw them as a genuine couple, and pretending to do that with Draco Malfoy was absurd and weird. Every nerve in her body shouted that it was wrong when he came too close in public. Merlin alone knew how she had ended up in this situation, and she blamed her overly kind and compassionate parents for her behavior, but now that she was in it, she could not afford to muck it up.

* * *

 **8 May 2005**

"Mrs. Malfoy," a young woman stood at the front door. Hermione had been surprised to hear the doorbell, as their usual visitors preferred using the floo. And she definitely had never seen this woman before.

"Yes?" Hermione asked, trying not to give away the fact that she had no clue as to the identity of the woman, lest she was an actual acquaintance.

"I'm Gina Hobble, and I've been assigned by the Ministry of Magic to your case regarding the custody of Scorpius Lucius Malfoy," the lady spoke in clipped tones, quickly flashing her Ministry issued badge to Hermione and entering the house.

"Oh," Hermione said. "Sorry I wasn't expecting you."

"The point of these inspections is to perform random checks, Mrs. Malfoy," the lady huffed, barely concealing her annoyance. "Is Mr. Malfoy here?"

"He actually had to step out for an hour to deal with some issue at work," Hermione smiled. It was best to be on this woman's good side, no matter how much it killed Hermione not to slap the woman across her face for how rude she was being. "Would you like something to drink?"

"No, thank you. This is not a social visit," Ms. Hobble replied, and took a seat in the living room, constantly making notes on her clipboard. "Is your husband usually called away by work on weekends?"

"Oh, no," Hermione nervously laughed. "It was just an emergency today."

"Hmm," the woman simply said, and made another note.

"I'm sorry, is there a problem?" Hermione asked, seriously controlling herself from punching or hexing the woman.

"No," the inspector said. "Isn't today one of the few days Scorpius is able to stay at home from school?"

"Yes, so?"

"And your husband is content with abandoning his son and precious time with him to go to work."

"Pardon me," Hermione said slowly. "He has responsibilities at work, and he is able to manage the two quite well. And anyway, all regular families do have working parents as well, and the children from those families don't feel neglected. Scorpius is very much loved by his father, and has never longed for more attention and care than his father can give him. It would be best if you judged our environment as you see it, and that will tell you more than any preconceived notions might."

The woman nodded curtly. "And what about you?"

"What about me?" Hermione was seriously pissed now.

"He isn't your son. It must be hard to bond with another woman's child."

"No, I'm doing just fine. He's an amazing child, and I'm happy to be here with him and for him. Just because he isn't my blood, doesn't make him any less loveable. And, I do find that having some compassion and a kind heart make it very easy to love any child," Hermione said.

"We'll see about that," Ms. Hobble muttered, and wrote rapidly on her notepad.

"Pardon me?"

"Nothing," she replied. "Where is the boy now?"

"He's at his grandparents' house," Hermione replied. If this woman didn't have the power to complain to the Ministry, Hermione would've hexed her out of the house.

"Interesting," she said, writing yet another note. If only Hermione could shove that quill up somewhere… "Please have him brought back here. He needs to be present for all your inspections."

Hermione nodded, grateful to not have to stare at the woman's face for a little bit, and quickly placed a floo call to Narcissa.

"Hermione, dear," Narcissa's voice rang out.

"Hello, Narcissa," Hermione said. "Can you please send Scorpius back right now?"

Narcissa looked perplexed. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh, yes," Hermione replied sweetly, throwing a look at the inspector over her shoulder. "Our inspector from the Ministry is here, and she would love to speak with Scorpius."

Narcissa's eyed widened. Draco wasn't even there, and poor Hermione, having to face the first inspection on her own.

"I'll bring him over in a second, dear," she said, trying to conceal her panic.

Hermione stepped aside, and in less than a minute, Narcissa stepped through the fireplace, holding onto Scorpius.

"'Mione, look what Nana gave me!" Scorpius was instantly at Hermione's side, showing off a new stuffed elephant, while Narcissa greeted the inspector.

"Oh, wow, that's lovely," Hermione said. "Did you thank her?"

Scorpius nodded, and looked at his smiling grandmother, and then at the strange woman in his home.

"Who is that?" he whispered to Hermione, throwing his arms around her shyly.

"She's…our friend," Hermione whispered back. "She just wants to talk to us. Will you go say hello?"

Scorpius shook his head, and hugged Hermione tighter.

"Please?" Hermione asked again. "I'll make you cookies if you're nice."

Scorpius pulled away and looked at her, calculatingly. "Chocolate chip cookies?"

Hermione nodded, and Scorpius left her to go shake the woman's hand before running back to Hermione.

"He's just a little shy," Narcissa explained quickly.

Ms. Hobble nodded. "How often do you give him sweets and sugary treats, Mrs. Malfoy?"

"Not too often," Hermione said slowly, trying to gauge where the conversation was heading.

"An estimate per week, please, Mrs. Malfoy," the woman commanded.

"Depends on his behavior," Hermione said. "No more than twice a week, and always small portions. I know what his needs are, and we make sure he is getting all his nutrients. But he is a child, and the occasional treat is justified. I don't believe in entirely depriving a child of sugar, and in small quantities, it is not going to harm him. "

"Hmm," the inspector said simply, and her quill bounced effervescently as she wrote.

Narcissa and Hermione looked at each other, both worried about this lady and the power she held, which could work against them, given how things were going so far.

"Since Mr. Malfoy isn't here today, and doesn't seem to be expected back soon either, I will postpone the rest of this inspection for another day," Ms. Hobble stood. "Scorpius will have an interview with the committee of inspectors later this week. You will receive an owl with more details later. Good day."

"Good day," Hermione murmured, rubbing small circles on Scorpius' back. He didn't usually get this clingy unless he was uncomfortable, and right now, he was holding onto Hermione like life itself.

"Is she gone?" he asked, once the fireplace had quietened down.

"Yes," Hermione said, and took a seat on the couch.

"I don't like her very much," he announced.

"Me either, buddy," Hermione whispered, and looked at Narcissa. That had been absolutely brutal, and she had no idea how they would keep up with that for the next six months. The lady was judgmental, and rude, and downright harsh, and it was no doubt that they would have a tough time handling all her questions and accusations.

"Draco isn't going to be very happy," Narcissa said. She had been expecting a tough inspector, but this lady was on a whole other level. Hopefully, Astoria had been assigned to an equally harsh inspector.

Hermione nodded. She couldn't even imagine his response when he found out that their inspector was Umbridge reincarnated.

"Can I come in?" Draco knocked. There had been a worker's strike at one of the production sites, and Draco had had to go and fight, explain, reason, and compromise with the leader all day. It had been exhausting, and he couldn't wait to get changed and into bed.

"Come in," Hermione's voice called, and Draco entered to find her on the chair, reading a book.

"I just need to get some night clothes," he explained, and moved to go to the closet where all his stuff now was.

"Draco, wait," Hermione said before he could step forward, and lay her book down. She looked nervous, and was fiddling with tie of her dressing robe. "We had an inspection today."

"What?!" Draco asked, shocked and stunned. He hadn't been expecting the first one to happen so soon, and that too, on a day where he wasn't at home. "Whe-Why didn't you call me back?"

"I-I didn't know exactly where you were, and I got so caught up with her questions and everything," Hermione explained. "I'm sorry."

"How did it go?" Draco ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

"Not the best," Hermione said slowly. "She's really…strict."

"Tell me what exactly happened," he said, and went to take a seat on the chair. He didn't need this right now.

"She just showed up, and asked questions about where you were, and how I am with him, and Scorpius was at your parents', so she asked me to get him, and he wasn't comfortable around her," Hermione explained.

"What do you mean 'not the best' though?"

"Well, she had a harsh opinion on everything, from you missing time with Scorpius to go to work, and her attitude about me and Scorpius was wrong, and even your mother didn't like her very much."

"Well, she is going to be harsh. That's the point, to vet us properly. We just have to calmly handle her questions."

Hermione twitched nervously, and Draco instantly knew there was something she wasn't telling him.

"What happened?"

"I just didn't like the way she was throwing accusations, so I may have argued a little," Hermione said slowly.

"A little?" Draco looked at her, worried about what she may have done to ruin their chances on day one of this whole thing.

"I just said the truth, and I swear, it was very-"

"You shouldn't have argued at all, Hermione!" Draco stood in front of her now.

"She was being extremely rude, and I didn't think-"

"No, you didn't think," Draco hissed. "All you had to do was answer her questions without going all Hermione Granger on her."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked angrily.

"You don't have to be a social service walking-talking message every time!"

"You were not there, and you have no idea how rude she was!"

"You should've called me!"

"I told you, I didn't know how to contact you, and it all happened really fast, and-"

"Well, in all your panic, I may very well lose my son because you pissed off our inspector on the first day."

Hermione glared at him. "Leave."

Draco sat back down then, and held his head in his hands. He was just tired and frustrated with the issues that kept coming up every day, and he had taken it out unjustifiably on Hermione.

"I'm sor-," he started to apologize.

"Please just leave," Hermione gestured to the door before he could say anything.

Draco looked up at her, and clearly saw that she was not in the mood to discuss anything any further, and nodded, before leaving her room.

Fuck.

* * *

 **(To be continued.)**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

 **11 May 2005**

"-and then, Deena put her hand to her face and then she had paint on her face," Scorpius said excitedly in between laughs. They were at the dinner table, and Scorpius was filling up the silence with stories from his day.

Things had been tense since the day of the first inspection. Hermione would not even look at Draco, and he had given up trying to apologize after the third attempt. She would send messages regarding work through an owl, and had been a silent watcher in most of the meetings they had had with investors and directors. At home, she would spend all day either in her room or with Scorpius. When they would all meet for dinner, she would listen to Scorpius talk, before serving herself, eating quietly, and staying in Scorpius' room until she knew Draco was done getting a change of clothes.

Draco knew he was wrong, but he had no idea how to make it up to her. She still wasn't quite a friend yet, but they were more than acquaintances. He had no rulebook for ways to apologize given their situation.

"Hermione, I-," he started, hoping being around Scorpius would force her to at least talk to him about anything else.

Unfortunately, he was interrupted by the doorbell ringing. Confused about the timing of their guest, he went to open the door to an unfamiliar woman.

"Mr. Malfoy?" the woman asked, waiting for his confirmation. "I'm Gina Hobble, your inspector from the Ministry."

"Oh, Ms. Hobble, please come in," Draco put on his most charming smile. "How are you this evening?"

"Good, thank you very much," Gina smiled back.

She did not seem at all how Hermione had described her. This woman seemed rather pleasant, in fact. Maybe this could work, after all.

"We were just finishing up dinner," Draco explained, and gestured that she follow him to the dining room.

"Scorpius is up, right?" she asked. "It's a silly thing, but he has to be present for at least part of every inspection I hold for you."

"I understand," Draco said. "He's up, as you can see."

"Mrs. Malfoy," she greeted Hermione, who stood up and rather icily shook the woman's hand.

"Ms. Hobble," Hermione greeted. "How are you?"

"Very well."

Hermione nodded, and called Scorpius to meet their inspector again. The sooner he warmed up to her, the sooner she would be able to see how happy he was here.

"Hello," Scorpius said, and held out his hand.

"Hello," Gina smiled, and shook his hand. "How are you doing?"

"Okay, thank you," Scorpius said quietly.

"Great," she straightened up and smiled at Draco. "I think I'd like to start with an inspection of the house today."

"Sure, we can take you, can't we, Scorpius?" Draco replied. He had already decided to not overdo it or do anything he wouldn't do, but to make sure the inspector had no doubt that he was a good parent to Scorpius.

Scorpius nodded, and held on to Draco's hand, as Draco and Hermione led the woman through the house. They showed her the kitchen, introduced her to the house-elves who immediately launched into a tirade about how they played with Scorpius and how good Draco and Hermione were to them and to Scorpius, then they quickly showed her the living room where they had to explain the television, and then Scorpius' room, which Scorpius took great interest in showing her his toys and his paintings. He was finally opening up, having been around her long enough to be comfortable talking to her. In fact, he had taken over the tour, showing her the guest bedrooms and the study. And then…

"This is my Daddy's room, and that is 'Mione's room" he pointed to Draco's bedroom and Hermione's room separately.

Gina turned around and looked at Draco and Hermione, who both looked frozen in mid-step.

"Do you not share a room, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked, and Hermione thought she looked rather smug at her apparent discovery.

"Of course, we do," Draco laughed, and Hermione was glad he had taken over, for she was incapable of speech at the current moment. "That was my old room with my ex-wife, but I shifted to the second master suite with Hermione when we got married. He just still recognizes this room as my room. All of our stuff is in this room." He opened the door to Hermione's current room, which they had staged as the perfect master bedroom. There were photos from their wedding day, photos of Hermione with Scorpius, baby Scorpius, and even a recent photo of the three of them. There was nothing to alert the inspector to the fact that only Hermione slept here.

Even then, Draco's heart was stuck in his throat the entire time she walked around making notes. He even slanted a glance at Hermione, who was looking at him rather wide-eyed. They had completely forgotten about Scorpius, and not letting him onto the whole plan lest he unwittingly blurt something out in public. Doing so in front of their inspector was the most dangerous situation they could've been in.

"Very well," Gina finally announced. "I think that's all I have for this inspection. I will see you next at Scorpius' private interview with the panel in two days. Good night, Mr. Malfoy. Mrs. Malfoy."

They both smiled, and led her to the front door, waiting for her to apparate before shutting the door.

"Do you want to go finish dinner, mate?" Draco asked Scorpius, and Scorpius ran away quickly to the table. It was fettucine alfredo after all, and that was his favorite dinner.

Hermione made to move too, but he stepped in front of her before she could leave.

"Can we please talk?"

"No."

"Hermione."

"What?"

"We need to talk."

"I don't want to," she said, and tried to step past him.

"I'm sorry, I really am," Draco said then, and he meant it.

Hermione looked up at him, and Draco could see how hard she was thinking, as if deciding whether or not to accept his apology.

A minute later, it appeared that her decision was made. "I married you only to help you save Scorpius. I gave up everything and am risking everything. I literally have nothing to gain in this situation, and you should know I wouldn't jeopardize all that has happened."

"I know, and I shouldn't have-"

Hermione held up a hand to stop him. "You cannot use my personality as an insult. God knows you have enough flaws, but I don't use them as an insult. If we are to move forward, you need to remember that."

Draco nodded. "I promise."

Hermione nodded in acceptance when she saw no insincerity or dishonesty in his eyes. "She likes you."

"Who?" Draco asked in confusion.

"The inspector," Hermione said. "She was much nicer with you around, and I think we can use that our advantage."

"How so?"

"By letting you be the one to interact with her as much as possible," Hermione explained. "I think she hates me."

"She doesn't hate you," Draco scoffed.

"I think she does," she insisted.

"I've never met a sane person who hates you," he said. And it was true. Apart from the bigoted Pureblood's who hated her for only her blood, everyone who knew her was instantly drawn to her, and it was fact. Even he had only hated her because it was ingrained in him that she was inferior, and that hatred had quickly turned to jealousy when she had outsmarted him in every subject at Hogwarts, not that he would ever admit it. He was a changed man, but he still had some ego.

"So, I suppose you're not sane, because you still hate me."

"I don't hate you."

Hermione scoffed in disbelief.

"I don't hate you. Do you hate me?" Draco asked sincerely.

Hermione looked at him, thoroughly confused. "No," she said slowly.

"So, we're friends then?"

"Are we?"

"I don't know," Draco said. "I think we could be."

"Do you want to be friends?"

"Why not?" he shrugged.

This was the weirdest way Hermione had made a friend in her life. "I guess we're friends then."

He held out his hand, and she hesitantly shook it.

It didn't feel weird that they were friends, though. And that was weird.

* * *

 **13 May 2005**

"You can wait out here, if you'd like," Gina informed Draco, and attempted to guide Scorpius into the room, but stopped when the boy wouldn't budge.

"Scorpius," Draco looked at his son, trying to get him to remember their talk earlier in the day. Draco had been dreading Scorpius' interview. He knew his son wouldn't want to be in a room of strangers without anyone he knew, and had tried talking to him and putting his mind at ease. "I'll be right here."

"'Mione?" Scorpius looked at Hermione for her confirmation.

"Right here, I swear," she smiled, and kissed him on the head. "Just come out if you need anything, and just tell the nice people whatever they ask you, okay?"

"Why can't you come with me?" Scorpius asked, and Hermione could see the beginning of tears in his eyes.

"I told you, Scorp, it's just for a little bit," Draco kneeled in front of Scorpius. "Anytime you want to stop, just come out."

Scorpius looked at Gina, who held her hand out. He hesitantly took it, and walked into the room.

"Poor thing, he's so scared," Hermione said, once they both sat down on the bench outside the room.

"I wish we could've done this with us in the room," Draco sighed.

"Me too," Hermione said, turning her head to look at him. "But I get the point of the interview, too."

"I do, too. Still don't like it."

Hermione laughed softly at his grumpiness, and sat back, toying with her necklace.

Things had been better ever since they had come to their truce. Their routine flowed more smoothly, and they were slowly learning the other's schedule. The basic premise of their day was still the same; mornings were filled with work, whether together or separate, and evenings were all about Scorpius. Yet, things had changed. Draco couldn't put his finger on it yet, but she seemed slightly more relaxed, and that was relaxing him, in turn.

Hermione too, was grateful for how calm things were. It made it a lot easier to actually feel at home in a home that wasn't hers. And Scorpius being around helped as well. He was thoroughly amusing, and a vibrant child. Out of this whole experience, she was thankful for getting the chance to know him, and to reaffirm that she definitely wanted to be a mother. Knowing James and Victoire was different, because she wasn't responsible for their daily matters. She would play with them, feed them, maybe even change a diaper or two, but she handed them back to their parents once the day ended. But with Scorpius, she truly was in the role of a parent to him for at least the next six months, and Hermione found herself enjoying her new role. She was there when he hurt himself, or he wanted to tell her a funny story about school, and luckily, Draco hadn't objected to their growing bond yet. It was all rather exciting and lovely, especially to see him reciprocate her adoration. She only hoped he wasn't having too hard of a time with all the new people who she was sure he wouldn't feel comfortable being around.

Luckily for them, Scorpius had been distracted from his discomfort with his choice of one candy and a stuffed toy from a selection the Ministry had provided. The interviewers had long understood that children didn't want to talk to them, and some sort of treat usually helped the younger lot feel a little comfortable with them.

"Hello, Scorpius," Mr. Weaver, an official with the Department of Family Services had started.

"Hello," Scorpius had said, fiddling with the button eyes of his new toy penguin.

"How old are you, Scorpius?" Gina had asked.

Scorpius had held up three fingers, and hugged the penguin close.

"Do you know why you're here?" Ms. Portington, another official from Family services, had asked.

"Cause you want to ask me some things."

"That's right," Mr. Ramsprey, Astoria's inspector, had said. "Your mother doesn't live with you anymore, right? Do you miss your mother, Scorpius?"

"Mother?" Scorpius had asked. "Yes, sometimes, but then I just go and hug 'Mione and I don't miss her anymore."

"Who is 'Mione?" Mr. Ramsprey had asked Gina.

"Hermione Granger," Gina had whispered quickly.

"Right," Mr. Ramsprey had cleared his throat. "So, Scorpius, are you excited to turn four?"

Scorpius had nodded in response.

"And, when is your birthday?"

"I don't know," Scorpius had said. "Daddy always tells me when my birthday is coming, and then we put stickers on the calendar, and I count the days till my birthday."

"Very good," Gina had said. "And what do you want for your birthday this year?"

"Uncle Theo showed me his toy Ho-vart's train, and Daddy said I can get it for my birthday."

"Oh, do you like playing with trains?" Mr. Weaver had asked.

"Yes, and with my quidditch game too," Scorpius had explained.

"And what games do you play with your Daddy and ''Mione'?" Mr. Ramsprey had asked.

"'Mione is teaching me painting, and Daddy helps me play with my broom."

"That must be fun," Ms. Portington had taken over. "What about your mother? What games did you like to play with her?"

"Mother didn't like games," Scorpius had shaken his head. "But she always got me nice clothes."

"That's nice," Mr. Ramsprey had commented. "Did you have a lot of fun playing dress-up, or taking baths with your mother?"

"Only Daddy gives me baths. Mother said I splash too much water on her, so she didn't like it."

"What's your favorite food, Scorpius?" Mr. Weaver had asked, while the other made notes.

"Pasta."

"I love pasta, too," Mr. Weaver had smiled. "Do you usually eat it for dinner?"

Scorpius had nodded. "'Mione loves pasta too, so we ask Missy to make it every day, and Daddy doesn't like it cause we have the same pasta every day, so he just makes faces, but it's so funny."

"That is funny," Mr. Weaver had said. "Do you know your mummy's favorite food?"

"Fish, but I don't like it cause it smells."

"I don't like fish either," Mr. Weaver had turned his nose up, making Scorpius laugh. "Scorpius, how do you like having "'Mione" in your home?"

"I love it!" Scorpius had said. "She gives me hugs, and comes with me to school, and paints and makes me pancakes and cookies, and she reads the best stories, but don't tell Daddy that."

"I won't," Mr. Weaver had said solemnly. "I think you can go back out to your Daddy now."

"Bye," Scorpius had immediately jumped down from his chair and run out to Draco and Hermione.

Mr. Weaver had looked around the panel, and taken off his glasses, cradling his head in his palm. This job got harder by the day.

* * *

 **(To be continued.)**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

 **8 August 2005**

"Scorpius, wake up, sweetheart," Hermione gently shook the sleeping boy. Behind her, Draco stood with a bag of presents. Today was Scorpius' fourth birthday.

"Mmm," Scorpius mumbled, and turned onto his back, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"Do you know what day today is, Scorpius?" she prodded again.

Scorpius' eyes flew wide open then, and he sat up and looked at Draco and Hermione. "It's my birthday!"

"Yes, it is," Hermione laughed, and hugged him. "Happy birthday, big boy!"

"Happy birthday, buddy," Draco said, pulling Scorpius up into his arms. "Do you want to open your presents now?"

"Yes!" Scorpius said, wriggling to get down and get at his gifts.

"That one is from Hermione," Draco gestured to the wrapped box in Scorpius' hands. Despite his insistence that one gift could come from both of them, Hermione had gone out and brought her own gift for Scorpius.

"Go on, open it," Hermione smiled, and clasped her hands in wait as he tore the wrapping paper.

"Woah," Scorpius said in wonderment when he finally lifted the lid of the box. "So many books!"

"It's all of Roald Dahl's books," Hermione explained. "You really liked the one we read together, so I thought I'd get you all of them."

"Can we read one tonight?" Scorpius asked excitedly.

"Definitely," Hermione smiled. "There's one more thing in there."

Scorpius rifled through, and picked out a mahogany box.

"That," Hermione said. "Is your very own broomstick care kit."

"But I don't have a broom," Scorpius said. And it was a true tragedy too, because after months of begging, he still remained without a broomstick.

"Right," Draco said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "We have to solve that problem now, don't we, Hermione?"

Hermione stifled a laugh, and nodded as Scorpius sat looking confused and unsure.

"Daddy?" he said, as if trying to confirm what he thought was happening.

"Do you want to go outside for a walk, Scorpius?" Draco asked, trying to contain his laughter and keep up the charade.

Scorpius ran in front of his father, and opened the front door to see a broomstick shaped package on the porch.

"Is this for me?" he asked, picking it up.

Draco nodded. "Do you like it?"

"I love it!" Scorpius exclaimed. "Can I open it?"

Draco nodded again, and helped him tear off the wrap off the broomstick. It was a specialty product, as it had parental controls and only went up to two feet high and came with a sticking charm, so the rider could safely learn to ride their first broomstick.

Hermione leaned against the front door, watching Draco as he walked alongside Scorpius taking his very first ride.

It had been over two months since she and Draco had gotten married, and after the initial awkwardness and adjustment period, they had settled into a comfortable groove. Especially now that they had become friends.

They had had another eight inspections since Scorpius' interview, and each left them entirely confused. It seemed like their inspector was buying into the whole act, and she genuinely seemed to be friendly with Draco. Her interactions with Hermione left much to be desired, and despite Draco and Narcissa's insistence that the woman did not hate her, Hermione was sure she didn't like her. She was cold, curt, and even rude to her, and the change in behavior was rather apparent when she turned to talk to her. Hermione had concluded that the woman might be attracted to Draco, and hated Hermione because she was his wife. If Hermione could, she would totally throw her hands up and tell the woman she could have him. But she couldn't, so she remained quiet. In front of her, they were the friendliest people ever imaginable, and they put all the effort they could into selling their relationship. Hermione would grab his hand as they spoke to her, or he would sling his arm across her shoulders when they sat on the couch across her.

The two of them had been doing a lot better privately as well. The school opening was less than a month away, and everything was going as per schedule. They were even starting their press tour to garner more attention to the school, and questions about their personal relationship came up in every single interview they had done. Of course, being the professionals they were, they politely refused to answer questions about anything not related to the school itself. Hermione would never admit it, but living together had made work a lot easier. If anything came up, they could work past their usual office hours, or she could simply knock on his door if there was anything she wanted him to review. And even apart from work, the two were working to be nicer to each other, and be more comfortable around the other.

On Draco's birthday, Hermione had gone up till noon not knowing it was his birthday. Then, Narcissa had owled her, asking if she would be open to celebrating his birthday with a dinner at the older Malfoys' home. Hermione had slapped herself, as she had even had breakfast with him in the morning and not wished him. Of course, she didn't know, but it was something she should've inquired about. She had said yes, obviously, and then spent an hour trying to analyze whether or not to get him a gift. Were they close enough yet? Would it be offensive to not get him anything at all? If she did get something, how personal and big should it be? In the end, she had decided to simply get him a hardback copy collection of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It was thoughtful enough, given that she had seen his collection in his study and knew he liked to read, and it was casual enough that she would have gifted it to any of her friends. Plus, she was actually interested to hear his opinions on the books, and if he read it, it would provide great entertainment for her too. He had brushed off her apologies when they returned home, and had been surprised when she had produced the gift. Luckily, he had actually looked rather intrigued by the books, and Hermione had seen the first book sitting on his home desk with a bookmark placed almost at the end a week later.

Dinner had gone rather well, considering it was the first time she had dined at his parents' place since they had been married. She actually was surprised to be invited in the first place, considering it was to be a private affair and they had no real reason to invite her. Lucius had been distant as usual, but she chalked it up to personality rather than his previous dislike of her. Narcissa, on the other hand, was warm and welcoming, and had kept her engaged in conversation throughout the night. They had talked about likes and dislikes, and even managed to bore the men with some gossiping and girl talk. She had never expected Narcissa to be the way she was, and she was definitely pleasantly surprised by her demeanor.

Then there had been the dinner at _her_ parents' home. Her mother had called her, and invited the three of them for the first time since their wedding. Hermione had tried to get out of it, knowing Draco would not be comfortable in the situation, and that she herself did not want to deal with the questions and the inevitable awkwardness. But her mother had persisted-Hermione had gotten her stubbornness from somewhere, after all- and convinced Hermione to agree. Surprisingly, Draco had not protested. He had accepted it rather easily, in fact.

 _"_ _I knew we would have to spend time with your parents sometime," he had said simply when she mentioned her surprise at his agreement._

The man was a revelation and a mystery, and she was thoroughly compelled to give up trying to figure him out.

Of course, the dinner wasn't a smooth evening, much like Hermione had predicted. It had started off great, with her parents cooing over Scorpius, playing with him and laughing over his antics. Then dinner was served, and the conversation shifted to Draco and Hermione.

"So, how are you finding living with our Hermione?" Richard had asked, after a chewing some of the delicious salmon Claire had made.

Draco had glanced at Hermione, who seemed to have stopped eating at her father's question, before answering. "It's great. She's really amazing with Scorpius, especially through this whole case situation." It wasn't a lie, and he thought it was vague enough to satisfy his question.

"Case?" Claire had asked, confused. He looked at Hermione then, and from her wide-eyed, panicked look, it was clear she hadn't told them about the custody case.

"It's no big deal," he had stuttered. "Just some issue that has come up for me."

Claire was clearly not pacified by his answer. "Hermione?" she had turned to her daughter.

"We're just going through a custody case with Draco's ex-wife," Hermione had said softly, knowing it was best to answer her mother honestly, sensing that her mother was upset.

Claire's had mouth pursed into a thin line, to the point where it almost wasn't visible.

"Claire, just-," Richard had said, trying to calm his wife down.

"Let's just eat, okay?" Claire had said curtly, her gaze fixed on her food.

The atmosphere had been thick with tension, and Draco could barely eat. He had kept sneaking glances between mother and daughter, who both sat quietly, picking at their food. Scorpius had sensed the tension too, but Richard had luckily kept him engaged in conversation long enough to distract him from the emotions between the adults.

"Hermione, can I speak to you for a minute?" Claire had said, when the three were ready to leave.

Hermione had nodded, and followed her mother, bracing herself for what was to come.

"Have we done something wrong?" Claire had said, sitting on the edge of the bed in the guest room while Hermione stood by the desk.

"Mum?"

"Is there a reason you're hiding everything from us these days? Have we done something to offend you?" Claire had reiterated.

"Mum, no," Hermione had said quickly, horrified at her mother's assumption. She had no idea what she could say to make her mother understand.

"Well, that's the only reason I can think of for you being so distant from us. First, you get to the stage of being engaged without letting us know you're even in a relationship, that too, with a man with a child. Second, you get married and we weren't even involved with anything. Third, you're in a custody battle? I feel like you aren't even my daughter anymore."

"Mum, please," Hermione had cried, tears flowing freely. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Then why didn't you tell us?"

"Everything just got so hectic, and I didn't want to stress you, and-"

"We are your parents, Hermione. You should be able to tell us these things. Especially things as big as a court case, hectic life or not," Claire had interjected.

"Mum, I know I made a mistake. I just-"

"I know you belong to another world, Hermione. But we are here, and we've always tried to have you be open with us. I don't like being a parent to this private, closed-off person you've become. Are we clear?" Claire had said, standing up to leave the room.

Hermione had nodded, before calling out to her mother and stop her in her way out of the room.

"I'm sorry." And she truly meant it.

Claire had turned then, and given her a nod and a small smile. "Let us know if you need any help."

Hermione had nodded again, and run to hug her mother tightly then. Claire had even returned the hug, and Hermione knew that she would be back to her normal self soon after. All she could do right now was try and earn her forgiveness.

When they had returned back form dinner, Draco had gone straight to put Scorpius to bed, and then come to Hermione.

"You alright?" he had asked hesitantly, remaining at the door in case she wanted to be alone.

"Yes," she had sighed.

He had walked in then, and saw her on sitting with her back to the headboard, knees drawn up and her arms around them.

"It doesn't seem like you're okay," he had said warily. "I'm sorry, I should've asked you the extent of the situation you had told your parents about."

"No, it's not your fault," she had said. "I should've told them. I just…"

Draco had raised an eyebrow as she trailed off, and sat on the edge of the bed. "What is it?"

He knew he was being extremely patient and kind to her, but the issue between her and her parents had risen because of him, and he had to make sure he hadn't completely ruined things. Plus, he would've done this for Pansy, because she was a friend, and now, so was Hermione.

"I've disappointed her," she had stated simply.

"I highly doubt that," he had scoffed.

"She cleared it towards the end, but I could see it in her eyes," Hermione had persisted.

"Hermione, I-," Draco had breathed. "I think she was just upset because she felt distant from you. I don't think you could ever disappoint her. Hell, we hated each other in school, and you've never disappointed me."

"Sure," Hermione had said skeptically.

"I'm serious," Draco had said. "Everything you did and said was expected and right. I was honestly never disappointed."

"Hmm," Hermione had hummed, feeling so tired in that moment, for the day had been long and the emotions had overwhelmed her. She didn't even want to continue the discussion any further. "I'm going to go to sleep now."

Draco had nodded, and quickly made his exit. There was nothing else he could've done then.

Hermione had closed her eyes then, too exhausted to change out of her dress. But sleep remained elusive. Her thoughts were like a flipbook, each one just slightly different than the other and the last one nothing like the first. She thought about her parents, about the reason she was lying to them, about Scorpius, about Astoria, and then, about Draco.

It was safe to say she was thoroughly confused about him. He was cold at times, and incredibly sensitive at others. He still had that arrogant and stoic poise about him, especially when at work, and yet, he was incredibly warm around people he trusted. He was demanding at times, much like he was as a young boy, but he also had an incredibly caring and thoughtful side to him. His features weren't as sharp and angular as before, as a constant and healthy diet had helped put some muscle on his face, and for the longest time, Hermione had been unable to point out the other difference in his face. Then it had hit her out of nowhere. It was calmer and kinder, not the disdainful and utterly haughty expression it had held as a boy. It was unfortunate they were pitched against each other in school, because he was quite smart, and she knew she would've really enjoyed hearing his witty, yet completely valid opinions on different subjects and topics. He was also quite funny, and it had taken some time for Hermione to realize that. He would say things in the most deadpan manner, leaving the other person confused for a good minute to actually understand the humor. In fact, every time they went out in public, he would make comments or jokes, mainly snarky, and leave Hermione red in the face trying to control her laughter.

And of course, there was Draco himself. As schoolmates, Hermione had been too focused on arguing with him or control herself from punching him to notice _him_. As colleagues, Hermione was too focused on the project to notice him. Now that they were living together, there was very little to distract her from noticing him. It had first happened one morning before work.

She had woken up later than she needed to, and was rushing around trying to get ready to leave. In her hurry, she had forgotten to lock the door to her room, and Draco had entered the closet to get himself a change of clothes after spilling a cup of coffee on his shirt. She had left her bathroom after a shower, with only a very small towel wrapped around her. He had turned around, shirtless and the button of his trousers popped, and both had shrieked, though Draco would never admit he had shrieked.

Hermione had literally run back into the bathroom then, and had covered her face with her hands in embarrassment. Forgetting all about getting to work on time, she had waited until she knew he had left, and then quietly floo'd to work. For days after that incident, she had found it almost impossible to look at him, much less talk to him. She hadn't seen anything really, but it was more than she had anticipated seeing during the course of their marriage, and she wasn't sure about how to feel about the fact that she hadn't been repulsed, and actually thought his body rather attractive. Not that she would ever, ever admit it out loud.

Luckily for her, Draco hadn't initiated conversation right after their run in either. And the reasons were quite similar for him too.

He had been completely taken by surprise when she had walked out of the bathroom. She was normally gone by that time, and he had not expected to be caught in a state of undress or ever catch Hermione Granger in nothing but a towel. It was all rather awkward, and unfortunate given how much progress they had made. He actually considered her amongst his limited friends now, and they now engaged in conversation that was outside of the realms of work, Scorpius, or the case. Ever since she had brought him a birthday gift, he had found it necessary to make an effort to be nicer to her. And honestly, it wasn't that hard to be nice to her. He had quickly found that talking about a book or research was an easy way to get her to forget her inhibitions and speak freely, and Draco found himself enjoying the banter that flowed between them. He even deliberately stated some random opinions at times, just to see her eyes get that irritated look and her mouth open in consternation and fully animated, ready to challenge his words. Scorpius had even taken to rolling his eyes every time they found themselves arguing over some book they had both read, at the dinner table.

Speaking of Scorpius, Draco had never seen him as happy as he had been recently. The boy wasn't alone for a second of his time awake, and Hermione kept finding new activities to keep him engaged. She had even introduced some telly time to him, and Draco would often find them on the couch, glued to something she called "toons". (It had taken all his effort not to crack a thousand jokes about that.) They had been just the two of them for so long, it was hard not to feel the slight pang of jealousy when Scorpius would run to Hermione before him. Draco still felt slightly territorial when it came to time with Scorpius, but seeing how excited he was had put Draco to ease, and he had even joined in on some playtime with them. There was one weekend where they had baked a cake from scratch, and Scorpius had insisted on putting every candy imaginable as decoration on the baked treat. Then on a weekday evening, Hermione had rolled out a massive piece of parchment on the floor, and the three had used their hands and feet dipped in paint to create a piece of art. Of course, half the paint had ended up in their faces after Scorpius had initiated a paint war. Scorpius had always been an energetic child, but he also had a calmness and peaceful quality about him, almost as though he was content. Draco only hoped it stayed after Hermione was no longer a daily fixture in Scorpius' life.

She really was a great mother figure to Scorpius, and Draco truly hoped she found a family of her own after this was over. She deserved it, she absolutely did. Scorpius wasn't even her own son, and yet, she had taken to him instantly and given him all the love she could. She had even planned an entire birthday party, Scorpius' first, around the theme of his current favorite "moo-v"-something called "Lion King".

Scorpius had been too young, and didn't have too many friends before, so a party hadn't been needed. Not to mention, Astoria had firmly believed in having a private family celebration with a formal dinner. Hermione had approached Draco about her idea this year, and Draco had been on board instantly. He knew Scorpius would love it.

And he really did. Hermione had gone all out with the decorations, and put up fake trees and animals related to the theme everywhere. Granted, Draco didn't understand the reference, but Scorpius seemed to be over the moon, excitedly running up to each animal as he recognized the character it symbolized.

"'Mione, this is amazing!" Scorpius said, hugging the plush lion that was a stand in for Mufasa.

"I'm glad you like it," Hermione replied, smiling widely. "Now go get changed, your friends will be here soon."

"Daddy, come and help me!" Scorpius said hurriedly, excited to start his party. He had invited everyone from his class, and some of his playmates as well.

After twenty minutes of deliberation and arguments over outfits, Scorpius had finally settled on a pair of khaki's and a red shirt. He still refused to let his father comb his hair neatly.

"Let me just put a little gel in it," Draco insisted as Scorpius struggled to get out and start his party. As a father, he had to try and get Scorpius to look neat, even though his scruffy hair actually made him look more endearing.

"No, Daddy, it becomes sticky!" Scorpius whined. "And I want to go now."

"Fine," Draco sighed. "Let's go."

Scorpius practically ran ahead, pulling on Draco's hand. There were still about ten minutes left before everyone would arrive, but Scorpius was impatient, as most four year olds tend to be.

"'Mione, look!" Scorpius ran up to Hermione, who had also changed and was currently putting in an earring. She had chosen a summery light blue dress with a yellow flower print. Coincidentally, he had chosen to wear a pale blue shirt too, and now they both matched.

"Oh, you look so handsome!" Hermione cooed, picking Scorpius up in her arms.

"You look very pretty, 'Mione," Scorpius said, fingering the strap of her dress. "I like blue."

"I know, that's why I chose this," Hermione laughed. "Did you see the party hats I got for you?"

Scorpius shook his head.

"They're in the shape of all the characters," Hermione explained. "There's Simba, Nala, Rafiki, and even Scar."

"What about Timon?" Scorpius asked.

"Of course, and Pumba too," Hermione laughed, and walked over to the table in the backyard where all the party favors lay.

Draco stayed behind, and went to go pour himself a glass of wine. His house would be full of little children in a bit, and he decided he needed the alcohol.

"Drinking so early in the day, son?" came his mother's voice not soon after he had started sipping the red wine he preferred.

Draco gulped convulsively. "Mother, Father, you're here."

"Where is Scorpius?" Lucius asked, eager to see his grandson and wish him.

"Out in the backyard with Hermione," Draco pointed outside.

Lucius nodded, and walked straight out to the gardens.

"So, what is all this?" Narcissa gestured to the decorations. "Is it some sort of a wildlife theme?"

"No, it's some Muggle thing Scorpius really likes," Draco explained. He honestly had tried understanding the whole picture thing because he had wanted to be able to follow the conversation too, but he simply could not comprehend the explanation behind it or understand the entertainment value of sitting in one spot for two hours watching something that wasn't even live and had fallen asleep within thirty minutes of attempting to watch it.

"I see," Narcissa nodded. "Hermione has done a wonderful job here."

"Yes, she has," Draco agreed, and took another sip of his wine.

Narcissa stared at her son curiously.

"What?" Draco asked when he noticed her gaze.

"Nothing," Narcissa shrugged.

"It's clearly not nothing," Draco persisted.

"You're jealous," she stated simply, trying to hide her amused grin but failing miserably.

"I'm not jealous," Draco protested, pouring himself another glass of wine.

"I didn't even say about what yet, and you protested," Narcissa pointed out smugly.

"Because I know how your mind works, Mother."

"You don't have to be jealous, you know," Narcissa said, openly grinning now.

"I know, and I am not," Draco replied.

"She's a good mother to him," Narcissa remarked.

"Yes, she is," Draco agreed.

"And she is rather pretty," she continued, suddenly very interested in the label of the wine bottle.

"Sure," Draco said nonchalantly, and gulped down the last of his wine. "Let's go out now."

He left before she could say anything further, and she followed, with a wide smile on her face. Her son may be a father now, but he would always be her little boy, and she would always be able to read him clearly.

* * *

 **(To be continued.)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

 **1 September 2005**

"I, on behalf of everyone at the Ministry of Magic, am proud to support such a great endeavor, the results of which are in front of all of you today. The re-building of our society does not only include the physical act of putting back buildings and houses back together, but also of mending the ways of our society. We want to eradicate all forms of separation, no matter what the basis of such discrimination may be, and we want to move forward as one united front. We are thankful to our Education Secretary, Hermione Granger-Malfoy, who has spent hours of hard work making sure this school would be the best resource it could possibly be, personally supervising the training of the Professors and the staff. Mr. Draco Malfoy has to be given credit for the idea in the first place, and I wish that everyone takes this philanthropic effort as an example of how to evolve into more modern ways of thinking. The two of them, along with their staff, have personally rounded up our very first batch of students, and we wish these students the best. Today truly marks an important day in history, and I am honored to declare this school now open."

Minister Shacklebot turned around and cast the charm to open the big gates to the school, and everyone in the audience stood up and clapped. Hermione and Draco were in the front row, looking up proudly at the school.

"We did it!" Hermione exclaimed excitedly.

"We did," Draco repeated. "I didn't know he was going to include me in his speech."

"Of course, he was," Hermione said. "He wasn't going to take credit for this entire thing when it was your idea that has all these people here."

"Still," Draco remarked. "We were never on great terms."

"Did you not hear what he said?" Hermione turned to him then. "He wants everyone to move forward as one, not hold on to past prejudices."

Draco nodded, and looked at the students enter the school grounds solemnly.

The two of them had spent the past month working tirelessly on getting the school ready. They had interviewed and convinced various Squibs to take on positions as the new staff. It was difficult to do so, since not many had wanted to be living so openly in public either due to personal or due to family reasons. However, Hermione was hell bent on having them teach, since she felt they would be able to connect with the students the best. She had then convinced Headmistress McGonagall to lend them her teachers for the summer to train the new staff so they would be prepared for the first year. Hermione observed each session closely, and remained a facilitator to make sure the syllabus they had constructed was practical and efficient. Draco, in the meanwhile, had conferred with the staff and arranged for all supplies needed for classes, be it magical creatures, potions ingredients, plants, and even all the furniture. After placing the necessary security charms, they had called McGonagall, Kingsley, and some of Hermione's other bosses for a tour of the school, and decided that it was ready for a trial year. They had then taken personal trips to homes of potential students, and convinced their families to let them try the school. Some had laughed, some had threatened to hex them, others had become emotional, and some others had agreed right away.

And so today, September 1, two batches of students entered the school to start their first year. Hermione and Draco's efforts had paid off, and the two couldn't be prouder of their accomplishment.

The past eight months of their life had been devoted to this project, and Hermione couldn't even believe that their idea and work was now a reality. She had always believed in hard work, and hard work that produced a valuable result. This was the exact embodiment of that philosophy, and when she had started working on it, she would've never thought she would be so grateful to have Draco right alongside her. He had been equally as involved in every step of the project, and with their opinions and ideas, they had made sure the school was the best they could possibly manage. In fact, Hermione had delegated all her other duties to her staff over the past month, and solely dedicated all her time to make sure the school was ready to open for the year. She barely spent time at her own office for the past month, having given up on owling him every other minute. She had set up her own station in his office, and the two would throw ideas back and forth all day long. Working on the school so intensely meant that most of their waking moments were spent with each other. They would have lunch together out of convenience, work in one office, go to meetings together and then go home together and spend time with Scorpius together.

Hermione actually enjoyed their lunches together. One of them would usually break from the stress, and pull the other out to go to lunch. They had a strict policy of no work talk during their half hour break too, so they would talk about anything and everything else. He had started a game one day, where he would ask her a question and she would have to answer or pay for lunch, and she had the same deal with him. They talked about their likes and their dislikes, her experiences as a child, and even stories from Hogwarts. In turn, Hermione had been introduced to so many new restaurants and Draco had been introduced to new cuisines.

"I promise you, you'll love the food here," Draco had said on one occasion, a knowing smirk taking over his face, walking into a restaurant hidden away in a corner of Diagon Alley.

Hermione had rolled her eyes, and followed him and the maître d' to a table.

She had sat down across from him, and placed her bag and her binders in the chair next to hers.

"Where are we anyway?" she had asked, looking around.

"Diagon Alley," he had replied, not lifting his eyes from the menu.

"I've never seen this part before," she had admitted.

"That's because it's hidden from everyone. Exclusivity, and all, you know?"

"Hmph," she had said in mock annoyance, picking her menu up. "I prefer going to Muggle London when I have the time."

"And what do you do there?" he had asked, now intrigued with her revelation.

"I don't know, nothing specific," she had shrugged. "I just go to my parent's place, go to all the places I went to as a child, eat street food, maybe take the train to all the tourist-y places. I even went to Thorpe Park once. That was really scary."

"How is a park scary? And muggles eat food in the street?"

Hermione had laughed. "No, it's a type of cuisine, if you will. Like fried food, or fusion food, something you don't need to sit down and eat. I guess anything travel friendly. And it was a theme park, so it had these giant rollercoasters. Which are these structures, that people can take a safe car in and ride. They go really fast, and most are really high. It's super fun and scary because there are sudden drops and loops that turn you all the way around."

"You got on those, and you won't even go close to a broom?" he had teased.

"Well, I was strapped safely into the rollercoaster. Broom's have no safety. You can break a bone, or die riding a broom," she had said exasperatedly.

"You're watching the wrong people ride brooms if you think people die riding them," he had laughed.

"I've seen people fall," Hermione had defended herself.

"Only during Quidditch," Draco had retorted. "When have you seen someone fall of a leisure ride?"

"Why would you want to take a leisure ride on what is essentially a magic stick?"

"Why would you want to go all the way around in what is essentially a metal stand?"

Hermione had thought, and acceded when she couldn't come up with a reply. "I guess it's just one of those things everyone thinks their way is better about."

"My way is better, though," Draco had muttered under his breath, his eyes fixed on the menu.

Hermione had glared at him. "You-you're so stubborn!"

"And you're not?" Draco had asked, one eyebrow raised daringly.

Hermione had huffed, determined not to prove his point. "Okay, so what's good here?"

Then, Hermione had taken it upon herself to take him to a Thai restaurant in London.

"Fuck, that's hot," Draco had said after a bite of his curry, rapidly wiping his mouth and trying to rid himself of the burn.

Hermione had snickered. "I told you hot meant hot. You should've listened to me. Just drink the tea."

Draco had flat out refused to return for a retrial of Thai food after that.

It was weird. They had known each other practically their entire lives, but situations hadn't allowed them to get to know each other until recently. It was exciting to find out basic details like favorite colors or food or books, and they both rather enjoyed their game. It also made them both more relaxed around the other, and they both found the inspections going by smoother now. They were able to act up their relationship in front of Ms. Hobble, and answer any questions rather easily. In fact, Draco was quite hopeful for the result.

Draco was brought back from his thoughts as Hermione poked him in the side, gesturing that they needed to go inside the school now.

Draco nodded, and took another look at the banner with the school's name: Novis Initiis, and the plaque near the side that read: Patronage of Draco Malfoy and the Ministry of Magic.

It had been Hermione's secret gift for him, that she had only revealed the previous day and refused to take down.

She was such a good person, and such a good friend.

A friend that he had a massive crush on.

Yes, that was the truth. Draco had a massive crush on Hermione, his wife. Correction, his fake wife.

He had first realized it during one of their lunches. She had been animated, excitement dancing across her face as she talked about a childhood trip to Rome, and it had completely caught him off guard. He honestly could not pinpoint the reason behind it, but he knew it was a crush. Probably seeing her with Scorpius, the fake touches in front of the inspector, and the lack of a friendly woman figure in his home for so long was what had caused him to revert to being a teenage boy.

Well, that and just Hermione. She was beautiful. Not perfect, no. But beautiful all the same. She wasn't too tall, or too thin or too curvy, and her skin wasn't gossamer or silk. Her hair wasn't bushy or sleek, it was just luxurious chocolate curls interspersed with shades of honey and caramel. Her nose was tiny, and her lips were full, always bare and always scrunched up in thought. But Merlin, it was her eyes that got him. At Hogwarts, he had always thought them plain brown, finding that blues and greens were what attracted him. But now, he would find himself staring at the gold that merged with the richest brown color of her eyes while she went on a rant or spoke about some new idea she had. They were kind eyes too, always in search for someone to help or a new job to finish.

It was ridiculous, truly. He was a grown man with a child, and here he was acting like the boys he had seen at school, hanging on to every word of the girl they had a thing for.

He tried his best to hide it, but spending so much time with her made it so much more difficult.

 _Don't be daft, Draco_ , he would remind himself every time the thought popped into his head. _She's going to laugh in your face if she ever were to find out. It's just the lack of company talking. Just keep your head down, pretend she's your wife in front of the world, and remember that you're from two different worlds and she's doing this to help you and she's going to leave and she could never like you. No big deal._

Hopefully that would work.

It hadn't worked so far, but maybe one day it would.

He prayed it would.

* * *

 **(To be continued.)**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

 **19 September 2005**

"Hey, can I come in?" Draco knocked on Hermione's door.

"Yeah, sure," Hermione called out, in the midst of putting on her shoes and leave for work.

"I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday," he said hesitantly. "And give you this."

He held out two small packages for her, and Hermione smiled curiously as she took them from him.

"You didn't have to…"

"I know, I just saw them and thought you'd like them," Draco jumped in quickly.

Hermione shook her head and pulled the paper off the larger one. It was a 1924 edition of one of her favorite books, In our time. She had mentioned it to him long ago, and she couldn't believe he had remembered, given it was a Muggle book.

"Draco, I-this, I mean to say, I can't believe you remembered," she said in awe, running her hand gently across the cover. "And is this an original copy?"

"Flourish and Bott's actually had it," Draco tried to explain. It was true too, it was just that they had ordered it specially for Draco.

"It's wonderful, thank you so much," Hermione smiled brightly. It truly was unbelievable.

"Open the other one," Draco gestured, ready for her to open the gift and be able to remove himself from scrutiny.

Hermione did, and opened a small box of earrings. They were small hoops of silver, with a pearl of tanzanite hanging off the end, and Draco smiled at the wildly changing expressions on her face.

"Draco," Hermione gasped. "I can't accept these. They're too much."

"I thought you'd like them," he mumbled disappointedly. It was his fault too, giving her jewelry so early.

"No, I do," Hermione explained quickly. "They're too expensive for me to accept, though."

"It was just my way of saying thank you," Draco said, feeling very uncomfortable. "You know, for everything."

"But-"

"They weren't that big a deal. You should keep them if you like them," Draco shrugged.

Hermione opened her mouth to protest again, but then shut it and smiled. She hugged Draco lightly then. "Thank you."

Draco nodded, slightly taken aback by the hug. "Happy birthday. We should go now, Scorpius is waiting at the dining table."

Hermione nodded, and grabbed her purse and followed him outside, where Scorpius was currently chatting with Missy and eating breakfast.

"'Mione!" he near shouted when he saw her. "You look so pretty."

Draco agreed silently. She was wearing a grey close-fitting dress with gold buttons on the shoulders, and it suited her very nicely.

"Thank you, Scorp," Hermione smiled, and leaned forward to place a kiss on his forehead.

"And Happy Birthday, 'Mione!" Scorpius said. "I got you gifts also."

"Oh, wow, you did?" Hermione asked in surprise. "You didn't have to."

Scorpius waved her off, and placed a small box in front of her. "Nana Claire helped me buy this VDD for you. She said it was your favorite when you were little."

Hermione opened the box and found a DVD of the 1977 children's classic, Gulliver's Travels.

"I love it, Scorpius," she got up and kissed his forehead again. He really was the sweetest boy. "When did you have time to get this?"

"Last week, when Nana Claire came here, I asked her to help me and she brought me this movie because you loved it."

"I do love it, thank you!" Hermione said, holding back her tears.

"And I got you this daisy because when we were playing outside you loved the daisies," Scorpius handed her the flower.

"It's beautiful," Hermione said, holding onto the flower.

" _And_ ," Scorpius continued. "I made you this painting. See, that's our house, and that's Daddy, and that's me, and that's you, and that's Missy, and that's Sully. I was going to paint Nana Cissa and Nana Claire and Grandpa Lucius and Grandpa Richard, but I ran out of black paint so I couldn't paint their clothes or eyes."

"Oh, that's okay," Hermione said, looking at the painting. "We'll get you more paint, okay?"

"'Mione, are you sad?" Scorpius said, looking up at her and seeing tears rolling down her cheeks.

"No, no, Scorp," Hermione said, smiling at the boy. "You're just too sweet. I love my gifts, thank you."

Scorpius smiled then, and went back to eating even as Hermione kept looking at the painting, unaware of Draco's fixated gaze.

* * *

"Hey, Hermione," Lila stood up the moment Hermione walked in. "Happy birthday!"

Hermione hugged Lila, and smiled at her. "Thanks, Lila!"

"This is just a little something from the entire office," Lila said, reaching for a bouquet of orchids and handing it to her. Then, she handed her a box, which had a monogrammed pen, which Hermione preferred to the traditional quill, and a stack of parchment with her name watermarked on it.

"This is wonderful," Hermione said. "Will I be able to see them all at lunch?"

"Of course," Lila said, reaching for an envelope on her desk. "And this is from David and me. It's two tickets to My Fair Lady, because I know how much you wanted to watch that."

"Lila!" Hermione said, opening the envelope. "You didn't have to."

"You always say that," Lila rolled her eyes playfully. "And this present comes with an offer to babysit Scorpius on the night you and Draco decide to go out. Just let us know twenty-four hours in advance."

"I was going to ask you to come with me," Hermione said.

"Why would you ask me when you can take that delicious husband of yours?" Lila teased.

"Because you got me the tickets, and it's only fair," Hermione explained with a huff.

"I will never understand how you snagged that man when there doesn't exist a single romantic bone in your body," Lila sighed. "I had to try so hard when I started dating David."

"I can be romantic," Hermione protested.

"Hermione, you do a lot of things amazingly well, but romance just isn't one of them," Lila shook her head sadly, placing her hands on Hermione's shoulders.

"I can be romantic when I need to be," Hermione said, a little offended. "I just like to keep things private."

"Oh really," Lila raised an eyebrow. "Tell me one romantic thing you've done for Draco."

"I,I-" Hermione stuttered. This was completely unfair. She just wasn't romantic with Draco because he was her friend. She had done plenty of romantic things for other guys she had dated. The whole staying by Ron's bedside in sixth year had been pretty romantic.

"Exactly," Lila said, mistaking Hermione's hesitance for her victory. "Look, Draco is hot, you're hot, go and enjoy a kid free night for once. I'd even be happy to have Scorpius sleep over."

Hermione blushed wildly at Lila's insinuation.

"I'll let you know, thanks," she mumbled, and slipped into her office. But she didn't get straight to work as she normally did. No, this time Lila's words were running through her mind. It was ridiculous really, given that she wouldn't even be married to him in six months' time. It was simply a marriage of convenience, just to help him out, and she had gotten a friend and Scorpius out of the deal.

Both of them had blown her away with the gifts. Scorpius was the sweetest, really, and she would always cherish the painting he had made her. And for a little boy to remember details like her favorite flower was incredibly amazing. She would truly miss taking care of him when this whole thing ended, and going home to an empty house after work would just be weird. She had gotten so used to picking him up from Narcissa or his school after work, and sitting and listening to his stories.

Then there was Draco. He was slowly getting up to the level of friendship she shared with Harry and Ron. They had shared funny stories from their past, and she felt like she was getting to know an entirely different person than she had thought him to be. He was fun-loving, snarky, confident, but there was a kindness under it all now, and that was probably what made all the difference. And he was handsome, she had to admit. He wasn't as lean as he had been at Hogwarts, and that had led to a slight softening of his features. He was pale as before, and Hermione thought it gave him an enchanted look. He was twenty-five, but like most of the witches and wizards of their year, stress and worry had aged them. He looked more mature with the wrinkled around his eyes, and it gave him a more serious look. The rest of his skin was unmarred, offset by the palest hair that seemed to have a mind of its own without any gel. In fact, when he had freshly washed hair, there was very little distinction between Scorpius and him, and Hermione had even ruffled his hair like she did Scorpius' on more than one occasion. They had developed to truly good friends, and Hermione was thankful for that.

But that was it. He was a friend, and she hadn't thought of him as more than that. After all, he could be attractive and a friend at the same time, but it didn't mean that she was attracted to him. She simply cherished his friendship.

"Hermione, you have a visitor," Lila popped in, a cheeky smile on her face that was confusing Hermione.

"Sure, send them in," she replied slowly, a curious grin on her face.

Lila stepped in fully, and opened the door to reveal Mark. Hermione was genuinely confused now. She and Mark had spoken quite a few times since she had gotten married. He had owled her a short time before the wedding, and she had apologized for her behavior. The conversation had continued, and the occasional owl would come in with another note from him. He had opened up slowly, and they genuinely found a lot to talk about. He had become a friend quite easily, and she found that preferred it that way. She had explained her sudden nuptials off as having been dating Draco secretly at the same time and not wanting to be rude when Lila set the two of them up. Hermione knew it seemed like an outright lie, but he seemed to have bought it, so she hadn't given it another thought.

She smiled and stood up to greet him with a hug. "Hey, how are you?"

"I'm good," he hugged her back. "Happy birthday!"

She pulled away in surprise. "Thank you. How did you know today was my birthday?"

"Are you kidding me?" he laughed. "Everyone knows when your birthday is. It's on your chocolate frog card. And you know I love my chocolate."

"Of course, you do," Hermione rolled her eyes playfully.

"I'm going to get back to work now," Lila interjected, and smiled at the two of them before shutting the door behind her.

"This is for you," Mark said, pulling out a small box from his robes.

Hermione smiled curiously at him and opened it to reveal a wonderful snow globe depicting the scene of Hogwarts.

"Oh, I love it," she said, and hugged him again. "Thank you."

"I'm glad you like it," he smiled at her joy. They had discussed how much she loved Hogwarts at length, and when he had seen the snow globe in a novelty shop in Diagon Alley, he knew he had to get it for her. "Can we do lunch today?"

Hermione frowned. "I'm sorry, I have to go to Hogwarts for lunch with Professor McGonagall today. Are you free tomorrow?"

Mark smiled and nodded, opening the door to leave. Hermione followed close behind and smiled at him again.

"Thank you so much for coming," she said, and held onto his hand for a moment to show her appreciation.

"Of course," he laughed, and hugged her. "We're going to have to go back to the Chinese restaurant tomorrow. Remember how good the chow mein was?"

Hermione nodded in agreement. "Agreed. I'll see you there around two then?"

Mark nodded, and waved goodbye to Hermione and Lila, but collided with someone at the door before he could leave.

"Draco?" Hermione said, when she saw who it was he had collided with.

He nodded curtly in response, and Hermione thought he looked slightly flustered.

"Draco, this is my friend, Mark," she introduced, shaking herself off from her confusion. "And Mark, this is my husband, Draco."

"How are you doing?" Mark asked, extending a polite hand in greeting.

"Good, you?" Draco returned the proper greeting, and Hermione thought his smile looked a little strained.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting you," Hermione said, wanting to know the reason behind his visit. Had she maybe forgotten about a meeting they had scheduled?

"I just wanted to see if you wanted to go out for lunch," he said, uncomfortable with the stares from Mark and Lila.

"It's only ten," Hermione said slowly. He was acting really odd.

"I know," Draco said, a tad bit defensively. "I was just checking for later."

"I'm sorry, I have a meeting then," she explained.

Draco nodded again, and turned around to leave. "Nice to meet you, Mark."

"You too," Mark smiled, and Draco left.

Hermione was left utterly confused, and she shrugged at Lila when she looked at her in askance over his awkwardness. Whatever it was, it would have to wait until she got home.

Hermione got home earlier than usual that day, having decided to floo back directly after her meeting with McGonagall. She had gone straight to her room, and spent the time off in bed. Scorpius was at a playdate with some friends, and Draco wasn't due back for a while. So, she had decided to enjoy the quiet house for a bit. It felt great to just lie down for a bit, maybe even take a short nap, something she hadn't done in years.

An hour later, she had woken up with a start upon hearing a sudden sound. She had the world's worst taste in her mouth and her head felt groggy. Her body was definitely not used to such naps, and the ruckus that had woken her up wasn't helping either. She wiped her eyes quickly, and put on some slippers to go see what was happening outside.

It was Draco, and he was currently blowing off at the elves in the living room.

"How many times do I have to tell you to not move my things around?" he was yelling at Missy. "I don't want to have to spend hours looking for my stuff."

"Sorry, Sir," the elf cowered, head bown in apology.

"You can go, Missy," Hermione intervened, and smiled kindly at the elf. Whatever had had Draco in a mood in the morning had clearly not gone away, and the poor elves didn't need to bear the brunt of it unnecessarily.

"They're my elves, and when I'm dealing with them, I'd appreciate that you stay out of it," he snapped at her.

"I'd appreciate it if you snap out of that mood you are in," she shot back. "There's no need to be rude to everyone."

"Don't tell me what to do," he snarled. "Save your sermons for Potter."

"Grow up, Draco," she said disgustedly. "Seriously, what is the matter with you today?"

"Stop pretending," he said, moving toward his room. "There's no inspector around, and you don't have to act like you care."

Hermione followed behind him, seriously pissed off at his behavior. "Will you stop acting like a child and tell me what has you in this mood? It's annoying."

"Oh, I'm so sorry for annoying you," he said in mocking tone, and opened the door to his bedroom.

Hermione grabbed his arm before he could go in, however. "Will you just talk to me?"

"Just leave me alone," he said, unsuccessfully trying to shake his arm from her grip.

"No!"

"Why won't you just leave me alone?" he asked, continuing to try to pry her fingers from his arm.

"Because you're clearly upset, and I want to know why," she argued defiantly.

"You don't need to be bothered about me," he replied with a snarl. "I'm no one to you."

She loosened her grip then. "Draco, you're my friend."

He looked at her then, his mouth a thin line and nostrils flaring as he relaxed the rest of his body.

"Look, I'm fine," he said, finally able to get her to leave him. "Just make sure not to go around hugging other men in the Ministry where someone from our case could see you."

"Is that why you're upset?" she asked, brows furrowed in a mixture of confusion and anger. "Because I hugged Mark?"

"I don't care who you hug or don't, just be careful in the future," he said, beginning to shut the door but she placed her palm on it, and swung it open.

"It was a friendly hug, and I can explain myself to whoever I need to," she said, backing him into the room. "You, however, are not someone I need to explain myself to."

"Then why are you?" he challenged.

"Because you're being so annoying!" she yelled, and threw her hands in the air in frustration.

"Because you were careless, and I could've lost Scorpius just because you couldn't control your emotions for another month and a half. You can go be with any man you want after this is done."

"How dare you imply-"

"I'm not implying anything. You just have to be careful in public. Or are you being so cavalier about this whole thing because Scorpius isn't yours and you don't have to care beyond a certain point? Is that why flirting with other men is more important than remembering we are under constant watch?"

In hindsight, he should've anticipated the slap that came next.

"You go to hell, Draco Malfoy, just go to hell," she yelled, and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

 **(To be continued.)**


	23. Chapter 23

**chapter 23**

 **1 October 2005**

The next two weeks had been some of the worst days of Draco's life. Hermione was still angry, and hadn't even spoken a full sentence to him yet.

He knew it was his fault entirely. He should've trusted that Hermione wouldn't do anything to jeopardize this whole thing, especially given how it had started, and how supportive she had been through the whole process. Truth was, seeing her being so friendly with someone else had caught him off guard, and the jealousy he had felt had thrown him completely off track. She had the right to be friends with anyone she wanted, and he had no say in the matter. He couldn't really reason why he had had the outburst other than the fact that he simply felt territorial where she was concerned. And to see her smiling, hugging and making plans with another man had just ticked something off in him, and he had reacted unjustifiably. The whole argument was wrong, and he knew that anger had been the cause for the unfortunate things he had said.

He felt horrible, too. He had completely ruined her birthday. Hermione's parents and Draco had organized a small dinner with her friends at her parent's place, and it had taken days of preparation to make sure she really was surprised. But the whole situation had gotten out of hand, and Hermione had cancelled at the last minute, apologizing to her mother over the phone and claiming she had a terrible headache. He had sent Missy with some food for her that night too, because he knew she hadn't eaten anything, thinking it would be best for him not to be around her while she was still so upset.

The elf had brought back the full plate out of her room in the morning.

Draco felt so ashamed and guilty, that he couldn't even face her. He didn't know how to approach her, how to apologize, how to make it up, how to explain his behavior. Everything he thought of seemed insignificant and ineffective, and he had accepted his cowardice in the matter. It was fact that he had acted irrationally, despite having known how firmly she stood by her principles. Now, he simply could not muster up the courage to talk to her, simply because he didn't know what to say to make it better.

Just the fact that she was still here was surprising given how horrid he had been to her. When he had gone to her room the next morning, she had been sitting on the edge of the bed, rubbing lotion on her arms.

"You're still here," he had said, and she had stopped for a second.

"I only start things that I intend to see to the finish," she had replied, her voice devoid of any emotion and her eyes fixed firmly away from him.

Draco had nodded, and proceeded to the closet, and that had been the last time they had spoken to one another.

Hermione remained firmly in her room after work, coming out only for dinner. She ate quietly, humming and smiling when Scorpius said something, before kissing him on the forehead and retreating to her room. She wouldn't even look at Draco all day long. She couldn't bring herself to do it.

He had hurt her, and accused her wrongly without her having given him reason to. He seemed to have forgotten that she had put her entire life on hold to help him, someone she hadn't even known, and his accusations hurt her pride. There was nothing she had asked for in this deal, and had purely agreed for his and Scorpius' sake, and to hear him say those things had been like a bullet to her soul. Not to mention, whether or not their relationship was fake, she would not even think about cheating. In the eyes of the law, she was married to Draco, and until it ended, having a relationship with another man hadn't even occurred to her once. She was just not that kind of a person.

She also felt terrible for Scorpius, whom she had deliberately maintained distance from over the past two weeks. From the beginning, she had treated Scorpius with all the love she could muster. Even though he wasn't hers, and would never be, she did really love the child. There was nothing that was not to love in his adorable precociousness. But his father clearly thought she had discriminated against him because she wasn't his mother, and every time she even thought about joining Scorpius in his playtime, Draco's words rang in her head. She had decided it was best, then, to allow Scorpius' true parent to be with him, and for Hermione to do just her job until she needed to. This way, she also didn't have to be around Draco too much.

But of course, children aren't privy to the politics of adult relationships. Scorpius had caught on to how distant Hermione was being not too long after her decision to do so, and had come knocking on her door rather hesitantly.

"'Mione?" he had called out, standing near her door.

"Hey, Scorp," she had stood up immediately, and waved him over. "Are you okay?"

"Are you mad at me, 'Mione?" Scorpius had asked rather straightforwardly, in the way only children could.

"No, of course not," Hermione had said, horrified, and had immediately knelt down in front of him and hugged him. It wasn't his fault, and he was caught in the middle of an unnecessarily ugly situation.

"Then why don't you come watch movies with me or play with me or paint with me?" Scorpius had asked, pulling away from her.

"Sorry, buddy," she had said, ruffling his hair as she liked to do. "I've just been…a little busy. Do you want to go watch Beauty and the Beast right now?"

Scorpius had nodded emphatically, placated by her enthusiasm. When Draco wasn't home, Hermione made it a point to spend as much time with Scorpius as possible. Once he returned, Scorpius was busy with him anyway to notice Hermione's absence.

The inspections had been brutal, too. There had been three, and each time, Hermione had apparated away the moment the doorbell rang. All other visitors used the floo, and Hermione decided she didn't want to ruin things by being moody in front of the inspector. It was best to let Draco handle the inspector and keep up their chances than by being present and not want to talk or pretend to be a happy couple. Of course, it had led to some unfortunate questions about Hermione's involvement in Scorpius' life, but Draco had managed to put on a happy face and continue to charm the woman as he usually did.

Their parents had noticed their behavior, too. Narcissa had even tried apologizing to Hermione once she had pried out of Draco what he had said to upset her, but Hermione had just smiled and politely told her that she didn't want to discuss the topic. Claire had caught on to the fact that something was wrong the day of Hermione's birthday. Hermione usually listened and gave in to her mother's request after a bit, but that day, she had flat out refused and Draco had been very vague in his apology too. Claire hadn't broached it further, however, because she knew her daughter. Hermione was just headstrong, but her heart was kind, and whatever it was that had gone on between the two of them would blow over soon enough. At least she hoped it did. Hermione wouldn't appreciate any interference in such a private matter anyway, so Claire decided to let her daughter come to her if she needed to.

Today, however, they would have to talk and both were dreading the inevitable awkwardness. It had been a month since the new school they had worked on had opened doors, and reviews from the press, from the students, the teachers and the families had been great. All major news publications had run interviews with the students, and the school was receiving a great response from the general public. To celebrate the success, the Ministry had commissioned a party in honor of the students. All students and teachers, their families, and investors behind the project were invited, along with some of the more influential members of society. As patrons and directors, Hermione and Draco would have to be present, despite all the protests and excuses they had come up with. Hermione had decided to make rounds and fulfill all formalities in an hour, and leave soon after. She really was not in the mood to go out, and was only doing so in the name of duty.

In a half-hearted attempt to look nice, she had pulled out a black gown from the back of her closet. She had brought it when she had started being invited for various high-class events first, and hadn't worn it in a while. It was a sleeveless silk gown, with a decently plunging neckline without appearing vulgar. On top lay an overlay of beads and crystals, that were heavier in placement on the top, and faded away towards the bottom. She had chosen to pull her hair into her go-to bun, pulling a few wispy strands around her face. Plain eyes and bright red lipstick gave the illusion of a decent attempt at makeup, and her favorite silver dangling earrings set her face off perfectly. For shoes, she had decided to wear her black strappy heels, the only evening shoes she really owned, and her wand, some money, and her lipstick were tucked away in a convenient little black clutch. It would do well for the evening.

When she got to the fireplace, Draco was already waiting, leaning against the wall adjacent to it. He had worn black robes, and combed his hair neatly, foregoing his usual gel. She didn't say a word, because it wasn't necessary at this moment, and carefully climbed into the fireplace and floo'd to the Ministry ballroom. He followed behind, dusting off the soot from his robes, stopping his hand just short of helping her with the little bit she couldn't see.

"Kingsley," Hermione smiled and moved to greet the Minister.

"Hello, Hermione," the man smiled. "You look lovely. Mr. Malfoy."

Draco shook his hand. "Good evening, Minister."

"I have a lot of people waiting to meet you two," Kingsley said. "Let's get going. I think I see Hymbar there."

He offered his arm to Hermione, and she placed her hand over it as he guided her and introduced her to the guests. Draco followed close behind, grabbing a glass of wine from a waiter passing by.

"Hermione, allow me to introduce Hymbar Cowell, our Ambassador to Australia," Kingsley said, and Hermione smiled and greeted the diplomat. "Hymbar here has been talking to the Australian Ministry about the possibility of recreating the success we've had here with the school in Australia."

"Oh, that's amazing," Hermione said. "Please let me know if there's anything I can help with."

"Definitely," Hymbar said, nursing a glass of champagne. "The Australian Ministry was so impressed, they want to get the project started right away. We're currently looking for investors, so if you know anyone."

"You can actually contact Malfoy Enterprises, and I'd be happy to look into it for you," Draco interjected, and then leaned forward to greet the man. "I'm Draco Malfoy, so if you ask for me, they'll put you directly in contact with my office."

"Oh, of course, the man behind the project," Hymbar said, shaking Draco's hand vigorously. "I wish we could just steal you away from Minister Shacklebot here, and have you do the project for us. I must say, you make a dream team, the two of you."

Hermione smiled awkwardly in response, and Draco grew unnaturally stiff at the comment.

"Well, if they didn't have their son to take care of, I would totally allow you to take Hermione," Kingsley laughed, oblivious to the discomfort of Hermione and Draco.

"You're married?" Hymbar asked in amazement. "And you work together? I don't know how you do it. If I had to work with my wife, she would probably end up hexing me into oblivion."

"It takes a lot of patience, trust me," Hermione said with a laugh, but Draco could sense the grimness lurking below in her tone.

"Please excuse me," he said, and left the three of them to chat. He would need a lot more alcohol if he was to get through the evening.

And so, he did. Within the next hour, he had spoken to five families, two investors, three more diplomats and had had roughly eight glasses of wine and one of champagne.

He had caught the occasional sight of Hermione, and had instantly gulped down the drink in his hand. Almost everyone he spoke to commented on him and Hermione or reminded him of her, and he was under the compulsion to drink more every time it happened. It helped him forget what he had done just a little bit, and it helped. Just a little bit.

Of course, as everyone says, alcohol is never the answer, and they say it rightfully so. It wasn't long after that the room started spinning in front of his eyes, and he felt a terrible headache come on. He swallowed a big gulp of air, and put all his efforts behind focusing on what the people in front of him were saying and coming up with an appropriate response. Later, he had breathed a sigh of relief as the Minister called for everyone's attention, and had blocked out everything in his peripheral to hone in on what Kingsley was saying in his speech to the guests, even smiling at the guests when his name came up.

But at dinner, he started growing more uncomfortable, and less in control of his reactions. He could feel bile rising in his throat and his head was pounding, and he was trying his hardest to decide how to leave politely.

"Excuse me," he smiled curtly at the woman beside him who was in the midst of selling him her idea for a new department store in Diagon Alley, and walked over to behind the Minister's seat. It was quite a feat, too. The Minister was only four seats away from him, but given how drunk he was, it had seemed like the biggest and hardest task he had ever had to perform. Much like a child, he tried to place one foot firmly in front of the other in order to maintain some semblance of balance.

"I'm sorry I have to leave," he said, trying his best to control the slur affecting his words.

"So soon?" Kingsley turned around in his seat. "Is everything okay?"

Beside him, Hermione had overheard his declaration, and was now curiously looking at the two men.

"Everything's fine," Draco said, standing up straight as another bout of dizziness hit him.

"Do you need me to come with you?" Hermione asked then. He looked a little ill, and her compassionate side won over her logical side once more. If he truly needed to leave so soon, something must be wrong.

"No, you stay," Draco said, and this time, a slight slur crept through in his words.

"Hermione, you should go," Kingsley said, having caught on to the fact that Draco was a little drunk. It wouldn't do anyone any good if he accidentally ended up splinching himself or ending up flooing to the wrong place.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked, but she was already wiping her mouth daintily with her napkin and grabbing her purse.

Kingsley nodded. "Everything you needed to do is pretty much done here anyway. Good night, and take care."

Hermione smiled, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Good night, Kingsley."

The Minister returned her smile, and turned his attention back to the guests.

"Let's go," Hermione murmured, and grabbed Draco's arm. He was slightly shaky on his feet, and it was quite a struggle to get him out into the lobby. Hermione herself had indulged in a few drinks, finally having an occasion to let loose. Nevertheless, she took a deep breath in an attempt to clear the cobwebs covering her brain, and took another step. Their ankles kept knocking, and Hermione ended up having to throw her arm around his waist to keep him completely upright. "How much have you had to drink, anyway?"

Draco shrugged. "I want to go home."

"I know," Hermione frowned. "We're going home."

"Okay," he muttered, but stumbled in his very next step. Instinctively, he placed his arm across her shoulders, and Hermione turned her head to look at it before sighing and moving forward. He was an arse, definitely, but he needed her help and she wouldn't deny him that right now. Not when he was quite literally incapable of getting himself home safely.

When they finally made it to the fireplaces, Hermione was exhausted. He was leaning almost all his weight on her, and her shoulders hurt from being weighed down the way they were. Nonetheless, she stepped into the fireplace with him, cramped as they were, and called out the address to his house. A second later, they stumbled into the drawing room, leaving a trail of soot behind them that neither of them cared about just that second. Draco fell to his knees, his head in his hands as he attempted to block the pounding in his head, and Hermione winced at the sight. No matter how angry she was, she felt for him in that moment. The after effects of alcohol were rarely pleasant.

"Come on," she said, attempting to pull him up. He would greatly benefit from sleep, and the sooner he got to lie down, the better he would feel. "Up you get."

Draco followed her commands, and stood up, shaking off her supportive hand. It was shameful; he was twenty-five and couldn't handle his alcohol, and he wanted to at least make the walk to his room on his own. He pulled the clasp off his robes, leaving him in his dress pants and a grey shirt, and let the cloak fall onto the floor as he took tiny steps. Unfortunately, he only got to the living room before he gracelessly fell on to the sofa, his face buried in the back of the couch.

"Draco?" Hermione called out, coming to stand beside him.

"Come here," came his muffled reply.

"What?" Hermione asked, unsure of what he had said.

"Come here," he turned his head so his voice was clearer, and patted the cushion next to him with a wonky smile.

"I really think we should get you to bed," Hermione sighed. It had been a long day for her, too. She hadn't had much to eat to counteract the alcohol she had imbibed, and she could feel herself getting tipsier by the second. All she wanted to do was kick off her heels and flop down on to her bed.

"Come here," he repeated, this time a slight whine to his voice.

Hermione frowned, and sat down at one end of the sofa. It was clear he wasn't open to listening to anything she had to say, not unless she did what he asked first.

"No, sit here," he patted the seat next to his, still facing the wrong way on the couch.

Hermione sighed again, and shifted to the seat he had gestured. "What?"

He turned in his seat then, and he was close enough that Hermione could smell the tangy wine on his breath. It was probably reciprocated in hers.

He didn't answer her question, and reached forward to tuck one of the tendrils she had left loose behind her ear.

"Thank you for bringing me home," he said.

Hermione nodded, and stood up. She had brought him home, and her job was done. It was time that she went to bed.

But before she could take another step, Draco's hand shot out to still her.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

 **(To be continued.)**


	24. Chapter 24

**chapter 24**

 **1 October 2005**

Hermione turned around slowly, and looked at him. She didn't want to do this right now, not when she was tired and tipsy, and he was so drunk.

"We'll talk in the morning," she said, and placed her free hand on his hand that was currently holding on to her and rubbed it soothingly, in an attempt to placate him to let her go.

"No, now," he demanded, and pulled her to sit back down.

"Draco, you're drunk, and we shouldn't do this right now," she reasoned.

"No, I'm fine," he asserted. "I mean it. I am sorry."

Hermione sighed, and threw her head to rest on the back of the couch. "You can't just keep saying these things and then apologizing, you know."

"I know," he nodded emphatically. "And I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but you deserve an apology. You've been nothing but selfless and amazing during this whole situation, and I just ruin things by being an idiot and not thinking before I speak. I didn't mean anything I said. You know how grateful I am to you for agreeing to do this and then going beyond what you need to. Scorpius is clearly in love with you, and I'm amazed by how easily you've taken to him. No one else would've done what you have, and I'm sorry you got saddled with me in the process."

Hermione lifted her head to look at him. He was serious, and as long as he knew not to do it again and was repentant for this time, there was no reason not to forgive him. "You really are an idiot," she stated.

"I know," Draco agreed. "I really am. I wish I could lock my mouth up sometimes."

"We should look up a spell to do that," Hermione said, trying to force down the laughter that was threatening to bubble out.

"If anyone can find one, you can," he said.

Hermione rolled her eyes, and stood up again. "Go to bed now, Draco. You're going to have a terrible headache in the morning."

"No, let's watch telly," he said excitedly, too energetic to sleep now.

" _You_ want to watch telly?" Hermione asked, an amused grin dancing on her face.

"Yes," he said. "Let's watch one of your favorites."

"Draco, you've never been able to get through even a half hour of telly," she laughed.

"I will today," he said defiantly. "Promise."

"It's past ten," she laughed nervously. Was he really serious?

"Tomorrow is a Sunday," he argued against her point. "We can sleep in. Mother said she'll only be back with Scorpius after noon."

"But you're drunk," she said.

"I'm really not," he said, and she didn't believe him for a second. "Come on, it'll be fun."

Hermione looked at him curiously. He had never wanted to watch a movie, and he was clearly still drunk. But she hadn't even spoken to him for two weeks, and she missed her friend. And he was right. They could sleep in in the morning, and it would be fun to see him actually give television an actual shot.

"Fine," she sighed, and plopped back down, leaning forward to take off her heels.

"What's your favorite then?" he asked, looking very openly giddy. It was a mixture of the alcohol and the fact that she was talking to him again that had him so happy in that moment.

"Gosh, I don't know," she said, listing all her favorites in her head. He wouldn't understand Jurassic Park even if she tried her hardest. Forrest Gump was too serious for this moment and The Matrix too confusing for even a sober person.

"Dirty Dancing?" she suggested slowly. It seemed lighthearted enough, and she thought it was a good way to introduce him to the Muggle entertainment industry. If not the movie itself, at least the songs would keep him interested.

He shrugged. Draco had no clue about that world, and he was happy to let her take the lead.

Hermione stood up, and rifled through her DVD's to find the one she was looking for, and popped it into the player. She could only hope he enjoyed it, but it was one of her absolute favorites.

Throughout the movie, she would keep sneaking glances at him to gauge his reactions. He seemed genuinely interested, making his usual snarky comments about the characters and the 1980's costumes and dialogues. His many questions made Hermione laugh, and she tried to answer them as best as she could.

"Wait, so where is the music coming from?"

"How exactly do they convert photographs to all this sound and movement?"

"…what is video?"

"Tell me they get together in the end."

"Seriously, they don't?"

"Are you just having me on?"

"You are, aren't you? They get together."

"Yes, they definitely get together in the end."

It was quite endearing, actually, to see him try and understand the process behind a movie. He even seemed to have actually enjoyed the experience.

"So, it's basically like a theatre performance captured in 'video'," he nodded thoughtfully as the credits rolled.

"Basically," Hermione agreed.

"Interesting," he commented.

"How did you like it?" Hermione asked anxiously. If he liked it, it would be amazing to show him so many of the classics and hear his take on it. As with the books, it was interesting to her to get a fresh take on it, something she hadn't thought of or considered before when she had watched it.

"It was quite enjoyable," he said, and Hermione smiled.

"Next time, I'm going to get us some buttered popcorn and introduce you to the whole cinematic experience," she said smugly, glad he had liked it.

"So, we have decided there's going to be a next time, have we?" he teased, and turned his head to rest on the back of the couch so he could look at her without having to crane his neck.

"Absolutely," Hermione said primly. "There's Pretty Woman, Breakfast at Tiffany's, oh, and Monty Python. Just so many we have to watch."

"Are the same performers in those, as well? Because I really wasn't expecting them to act, dance _and_ sing so well. I'd love to see more of their work."

"Well, actually, they aren't in the movies I mentioned, and not all actors do all three. This was just an exception. The makers of the movie actually chose these actors because they _can_ dance."

"Well, they are very good dancers. Especially that last lift was amazing."

"Yes, that is one of the highlights of the movie till date," Hermione explained.

"I can do it, you know," Draco said simply after a brief silence.

"Sure," Hermione laughed at his statement.

"I can," Draco argued, offended at her challenge.

"No, you can't," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I bet you, I can."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "How much?"

"A hundred galleons," he said smugly.

"Twenty," Hermione countered, shaking her head at his extravagance.

"I thought you were confident you'd win?" he raised a challenging eyebrow at her.

"I am," she lifted her head slightly. "I just have to be practical, too."

"Fine, then get up," he stood up and held out a hand for her to take.

Hermione looked at it and then him. "Now? Are you crazy? You're drunk."

"I'm not," Draco said. He was still a little drunk, but he had been challenged, and he would win. "Get up."

"You're going to drop me, Draco," Hermione said, horrified at what she had gotten herself into. There was no doubt in her mind that attempting this would have them both end up in St. Mungo's for sheer stupidity.

"I won't drop you," he said confidently, and impatiently shook his hand. "And we can put a cushioning charm around us if it makes you feel any better. Now get up, coward."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "I was a Gryffindor!"

"And I was a Slytherin. Stop stating facts, and start behaving like a Gryffindor. Or are you just worried to lose some money?" he tilted his head to the side cockily.

That was it. It was her pride that was challenged now, and she had to prove her word's worth. She slapped away his hand, and went and stood by a wall, placing a cushioning charm on the floor, signaling to him with a tilt of her head to get into position.

Draco smirked at her, and walked toward a fair distance from where she stood, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

"Come on then," he said.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "On three, okay? One, two, three…"

She ran as fast as she could, and jumped when she near enough. True to his word, Draco hoisted her into the air, stumbling only for a second or two until he regained his balance. Hermione looked down in surprise, a sudden rush of adrenaline running through her veins. She crossed her feet at the ankle and threw her arms behind her. She could honestly say she had never thought she would do this and enjoy it as much as she was.

Then he was putting her back on the ground, sliding her down slowly and safely. When her feet were back on the floor, she looked at him with wide, excited eyes, her hands still on his shoulders. She couldn't believe they had just done that.

Draco looked back at her, laughing between huffs of breath. She looked slightly flushed, and a pretty tint was reddening her cheeks. She seemed out of breath too, and was laughing with him. That's when he realized how close she was; he could feel her breath on his chin and her body heat under his hands, which were still around her waist.

His laughter died then, and he felt his heart beat faster. He could smell her perfume; peonies, musk, and roses filled his lungs, and he instinctively leaned forward to breathe in deeply. When he opened his eyes, he saw her still wide eyed, but there was nervousness and anxiety in them now, but he noticed she hadn't moved away so he leaned forward. It was almost like a test, and he kept his eyes open to see her reaction, but she closed her eyes and he leaned in fully.

A soft touch of his lips to hers. Then a second, and a third.

Her eyes flew open in surprise, and he was ready to back away, ready with apologies for crossing the line and in anticipation of a slap for going too far. But she surprised him, and slid her hands at the back of his head and pulled him closer, attaching her lips to his. This time, the kiss was deeper, and he held her face in his hands, pulling her closer, and changing the nature of the kiss. He swiped his tongue across her bottom lip, and she immediately opened up for him. The taste of her was unlike anything he had ever tasted before. Sweet mixed with tangy wine, and he was sure this would be his favorite flavor till the end of time. It was intoxicating; all his senses were filled with the essence of her, and he wanted more, like a water-deprived man at an oasis after days of wandering. Their pace changed with this want, and it seemed to be reflected in her movements. She slid her hands through his hair, keeping him as close as possible, and returned the kiss with equal fervor.

Only when they could no longer breathe did Draco pull away, immediately attaching his mouth to the side of her neck, alternating between biting and suckling pleasurably, and eliciting delicious little moans and groans from her.

She pulled him back up and into a kiss again, and he walked them over to the sofa. Without breaking the kiss, simply because they couldn't, he fell back on it, and Hermione settled into his lap. She began unbuttoning the pearly white buttons of his shirt, and slid her cool hands against his back, too impatient to even take it off completely. Breaking the connection, she kissed his neck, and dotting tiny kisses across his chest before finally pulling his shirt off him. It was heaven and torturous at the same time, and he flipped her on her back so she lay fully on the sofa when he couldn't take it any longer, looming over her and kissing her for a second, before he had located the zip of her dress on her right side. He placed kisses on her shoulder as he pulled the zipper down, before pulling her up with him. Being on his knees gave him a lot more height over her, but that didn't matter at that moment. They needed the attachment again, and she pulled his head down for another wonderful kiss.

Meanwhile, he had begun sliding the straps of her dress down her arms, first the right, then the left. He pushed her back onto the couch, and slowly slid the dress down her, leaving her in only a black strapless bra and black underwear. She was beautiful. Her summer tan had faded away, but her skin still looked like it was glowing. Her body was lithe and graceful, but she was growing apprehensive by the minute, and sensing this, he stopped his examination and appreciation and straddled her once again, kissing away her worry. It worked quite well, and in the next moment, she was reaching down and undoing the buckle of his belt and the zip of his pants. She even got him to groan loudly when she brushed her hand against the front of his pants. In response, he unhooked her bra, and trailed kisses down her stomach, and pulled her underwear off her, shedding his own pants in the process. They were finally skin to skin, and Draco was surprised by how perfect it felt. Her breasts felt wonderful under his palms, and he nestled against them, stroking their peaks, and alternating between sucking and soothing them with his tongue. Her eyes were clenched almost painfully shut as he continued his ministrations, and she pulled him up, and there was an impatience in her eyes that would have had him laughing out loud if it were any other moment. He got the hint, and it was his own need too, so he happily obliged. Without another wasted second, he entered her for the first time. She clutched his back almost painfully and buried her head deeper into the cushion, and he had to hold on to the arm of the sofa to keep himself in control.

It had been over four years of celibacy for him, and Hermione felt too perfect, but he breathed deeply before moving again. She moaned again as he reentered her, and sought his mouth out for a kiss, which he happily returned. Then he increased his pace and set an easy rhythm that had both of them gasping, and placed his thumb on her clit, rubbing it with a pressure that seemed to have her mewling with pleasure. It was lucky that he did too, because a minute later, her breathing had gotten constricted and her gasps louder. She cried out his name and he could swear he had felt her shatter around him. He kissed her softly as she came down from her high, and brushed away her hair from her face. A few seconds later he came too, spurred on by her climax, and collapsed against her, cherishing the way their breaths matched perfectly.

When his heart had finally settled down, he rolled off her and behind her, pulling the blanket from the back of the sofa to cover both of them. The sofa being so small gave him the perfect reason to pull her flush against him, loving how soft she felt. He placed a few lazy kisses behind her ear and on her shoulder, before she turned around and kissed him quickly on the lips, and shuffled to place her head comfortably on his arm.

He sighed, and breathed in deeply before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.

* * *

 **(To be continued.)**


	25. Chapter 25

**chapter 25**

 **2 October 2005**

Hermione woke up to a tickling sensation on the nape of her neck. She groaned and batted her hand to shoo off the bug that was probably irritating her when she was so tired, but it was resilient and didn't stop. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes and was hit by instant confusion about her surroundings.

Why was she in the living room?

And why was she naked?

And why was a naked Draco Malfoy sleeping right behind her?

Oh.

Right.

They had crossed all boundaries last night, and Hermione had no idea what had come over her. As the sleepy haze cleared from her mind, more and more details came to mind. The gala, the apology, the movie, the lift, the kiss…

A pounding settled into her head, and Hermione winced. This was not good. She turned around as surreptitiously as she could, and saw him nestled close to her, and realized that the source of the tickling was the movement of her hear under his breath. She careful picked his arm up from around her waist, and quickly gathered her underwear and her dress, holding it around her as best as she could to protect her modesty as she ran to her room. She badly needed a bath, so she could relax and think about everything. Dropping her clothes to the floor of her closet, she made her way over to the tub and filled it with hot water and some lavender soap to create a lovely bubble bath. Her muscles immediately relaxed as she settled into the hot water, and she closed her eyes and laid her head back onto the headrest.

He had been drunk, so his actions were understandable. But she had acted completely out of the ordinary. She hadn't thought about this in the months they had lived together, and from what she had made out, neither had Draco. They were friends, and friends did not do what they had done last night.

Had she actually been more drunk than she had originally believed? Because she clearly remembered kissing him back. And undoing his shirt. In fact, it was probably that action that had led to things going further than a kiss. Not that he seemed to mind at all.

But then again, what man would mind if a girl he was kissing took the initiative to take things further? She groaned loudly, and dipped her head into the water, sputtering lightly when she came up again.

Things had been going so well, too. After his apology, she genuinely thought they could go back to being friends, and that the friendship would easily extend to beyond the end of their marriage. And now, all this complication would just make things awkward between them, and she hated that.

But he had been the one to kiss her first. And why had he done that? She hadn't picked up on any indication of his interest in her, so had it just been a friendly kiss that she had misconstrued as something more? Why had he stayed out last night and not just gone to his room? Had he just wanted that to be a one-time thing or was he genuinely attracted to her? Or had he thought that she was interested, and gone along with the situation? Dear Merlin, did he think she was a slag who slept with just anyone when she had had a little to drink?

The bigger and more important question was, was she attracted to him? Hermione closed her eyes and thought carefully. She definitely enjoyed his company, and watching the movie last night had been fun. Their lunches were definitely enjoyable. And from a completely neutral standpoint, last night had been one of the best sex she had ever had. Not that she had had a lot of experience in that department, but those kisses…They had been so heated and calming at the same time, and she couldn't remember ever feeling the way she had when he had kissed her. Even in the hot water, her skin erupted into goosebumps just thinking about the kisses. And not to mention, he was quite handsome. He really had grown into a good looking young man and she couldn't deny that he had felt great against her and in her. It had been a long time since she had slept with anyone, so all of her senses had been heightened as is. Add that to the fact that her inhibitions had been lowered due to the alcohol, and she knew the reason it had been great. But still, it couldn't happen again. She knew all too well from her experience with Ron that bringing any sort of relationship into a friendship affected the friendship to at least some degree, and she was never one to make the same mistake twice. Ron and her had never been able to go back to the friends they were at Hogwarts, and there were still awkward moments when they were around each other. It was inevitable that this would come between her and Draco if she didn't clear it out right away.

It would be awkward, surely, but she would make sure he knew that she understood that both of them had been out of their senses last night, and it was just a stupid mistake that wouldn't happen again. They were both adults, and she was determined to make sure a drunken night didn't come into the way of the great foundation they had built over the past months.

Having made up her mind and slightly more at ease, she decided to take a quick nap and make use of the relaxing bath.

Twenty minutes in the bath had left her loose and relaxed, and she popped open the drain with her toe before stepping out of the tub and making her way to the shower. The cooler water from the shower felt lovely contrasted with the hotter bath, and she threw her head back and let the water run over her face. Eyes still closed, she reached out with her right hand into the built-in alcove of her shower, grabbing for her bar of soap when she felt the soap move across her back on its own accord. She shrieked and turned around with a start, ready with a hex at the tip of her tongue, only to find Draco standing right behind her.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing here?" she asked, attempting to cover herself with her hands.

"I heard you get into the shower, and I thought I'd join you," he informed her with a smug smile, and pulled her hands away from her body.

"Draco, what are you doing?" she asked, struggling to cover herself again. He could not still be drunk, so what exactly was going on?

Then he leaned forward to claim her mouth for a kiss and caused her to lose focus. He grabbed her neck and tilted her head, kissing her deeply.

"I thought it was obvious," he whispered once he had let go to breathe.

"We can't," she feebly protested, but he was already kissing her neck, and toying with her nipples before dropping to his knees in front of her, giving her a smug smile she missed because her head was thrown to the back of the shower wall and her eyes were clenched tightly. That fiery feeling she had felt before was back, and she couldn't concentrate on all the reasoning she had come up with before. So, she didn't resist when he nudged her legs apart, or when he kissed and licked his way up her thighs. She didn't stop the whine that escaped her when he got closer and closer, but still not there. She didn't even reprimand him when he laughed at her impatience.

Then finally, he placed a soft kiss on the outer flesh, before parting her gently and changing the pace of his actions. He pulled, caressed, and curled the small nub, even as he pushed two fingers deep inside her. It was delightful to feel her insides thrum softly at first, and then throb as he kept going.

Then she clenched tightly, and he felt the ripples get even faster, something he had thought impossible.

"Draco," she called out with a deep moan, and slapped the wall of the shower as she came. It felt amazing, and she came harder than she had ever before.

Draco smiled, and kept moving. She even tried pulling him once she had managed to regain control of her limbs, but he refused to let go.

"Oh, Gods, stop," she moaned, and tugged at his shoulders to have him stand up again. The desire to kiss him and feel him against her was strong, and she was frustrated at his refusal to comply.

However, he batted away her hands, and continued his actions. This time, when he felt the throbbing get intense, he stood up and picked her up, waiting for her to wrap her legs around his waist. Once she had, he pushed himself inside her, pumping vigorously and catching her mouth in a kiss. His intention had been to time it so that they both came at the same time, and it worked. Not even a minute later, she shattered around him for the second time, and he erupted inside her, both of them breathless and feeling boneless. It was taking all his effort to remain standing up and keep her upright along with him.

Once his heartbeat had returned to its normal rate, he set her feet back on the floor, and kissed her again.

"Good morning, Granger," he winked, and left her bathroom, leaving her completely dazed and confused.

She wrapped her towel tightly around her and stepped out of the shower, and placed a smaller towel around her shoulders to catch the water dripping off her hair. Washing her face and brushing her teeth came next, and she frowned at her reflection in the mirror. There were purplish bruises in the shape of Draco's mouth all over her neck, and she touched them lightly, resolving to heal them the moment she recovered her wand from its place still in the living room.

It would take another hour to clear her head of all the haze and to come up with a new analogy behind these recent developments.

* * *

 **3 October 2005**

Hermione buckled the clasp on her shoe, and stood up, taking a deep breath as she got ready to leave. Her room had become her haven for the last day, and she was dreading having to leave it. It was cowardly, and she knew it, but she really had no idea how to face Draco after the events of the previous morning. Foregoing the shame, she had stayed in her room all day, making the excuse of having to work, and even eating in her room. Only when she had heard Draco and Scorpius go out to the playground in the late afternoon did she sneak out and get her shoes and purse from the living room.

She had been so certain that the first time had been a one-off for both of them, and she had been completely taken aback when Draco had joined her in the shower. All her control had gone out of the window and her logical side had shut down the moment he had kissed her and she had felt him against her. It was completely unlike her, and yet, she hadn't hated the act itself. It had hit her during one of her many tosses and turns over the night that what she hated was the implications and consequences of what they had done. The sex itself had been mind-blowing. None of the men she had been with before had taken so much time to ensure her pleasure that way, and she had felt each stroke, each touch to her bones.

But no matter how great it had been, it simply couldn't happen again. They were heading down a path of devastation and misery if they didn't stop. The consequences could still be avoided at this time, but this game had to stop now. She didn't want to end up hurt, nor did she want to hurt Draco. She had to be strong to protect both of them.

With a huff, she straightened up and made her way to the dining room, where Draco and Scorpius were eating breakfast.

"'Mione!" Scorpius called out when he saw her. "Look, Sully made us cheese omelettes."

"Wow, they look lovely," she commented, carefully averting her gaze from Draco, even though she painfully aware that he was watching her.

She sat down at her usual spot, and served herself the eggs and some toast, willing herself to stop shaking and blushing as she poured herself a glass of orange juice.

"Are you free around twelve today?" his voice startled her, and she dropped her fork onto her plate with a clang.

"Why?" she asked, in a fake composed manner.

"Mr. Cowell called my office to see if we can meet with him," he explained with a smirk. He had noticed how jumpy she was, and it was amusing to him.

"Mr. Cowell?" Hermione asked, furrowing her brow.

"From the gala? The Australian ambassador," Draco said, raising his eyebrow and controlling his laughter as she blushed wildly at the mention of the night of the gala.

"I love Australia," Scorpius interjected, happily chewing his omelette and swinging his legs back and forth as he ate.

"Can you just do the meeting?" Hermione asked.

"Are you busy at that time?" Draco inquired.

"No, but if there's no need for both us to be there, I can look into some other work," Hermione stuttered.

Draco looked at her curiously then. "I mean, it is quite a big meeting, and I'm sure Kingsley would like to have you at the meeting."

"Kingsley is going to be there?" Hermione asked in shock. This was a big meeting if the Minister was joining in, and she knew she would be questioned about her absence if she didn't go. And anyway, she had just resolved to be strong.

So, she nodded. "I'll be there."

"Good," Draco smirked, and downed his juice in a large gulp, letting out a small belch that made Scorpius laugh.

"You ready, mate?" he asked Scorpius, and the young boy nodded, jumping off the chair and handing his backpack to his father and holding onto his other hand tightly.

"Coming?" Draco turned around and asked Hermione.

She nodded, and finished the last of her toast and drank some water, before following behind. As they passed the living room, Hermione blushed wildly, and she could swear her temperature had gone up when they passed the couch.

"Don't worry, I scourgified it," Draco whispered, noticing her color.

"Umhmm," she squeaked in response, for what else could she say?

"'Mione, come in," Scorpius called when she remained standing outside the fireplace. The three of them always floo'd together to Scorpius' school before Draco and Hermione went off to work.

"I'm just going to go to work today, if that's okay Scorpius," she said. "I'll come with you tomorrow, though. Promise."

"Okay," Scorpius said, and held on to Draco's hand and waved to Hermione. She waved back, and sighed deeply before flooing to the Ministry.

"Hi, Hermione," Lila said with a smile when she walked in.

"Hey, Lila," Hermione said, a little distractedly.

Lila noticed and immediately stood up. "Hermione, you look a little feverish. Is everything okay?"

"What?" Hermione asked, focusing back to what Lila was saying. "No, there's just a lot of work to get done. And I'll be gone at twelve for a meeting, so can you please put that in the calendar?"

"Are you sure you're okay?" Lila asked. Hermione was never so distracted, and she even looked a little troubled.

"Yeah," Hermione smiled, and Lila smiled back. Maybe she was just a little tired. Knowing Hermione, it was probably that she had been working on something the previous night like always.

"Great," Lila said, and went back to her desk. "Do you want to go out for lunch today after your meeting?"

Hermione smiled at her friend again and nodded. Yes, time away from everything and a great lunch with her friend was exactly what she needed.

* * *

 **3 October 2005**

"I'll have my secretary set up a meeting with the Australian Education Secretary, then," Mr. Cowell announced, and began clearing up the files.

Hermione nodded. She couldn't believe this was happening. The project that they had worked so hard on was a reality, and now, it was all set to go global. Governments often said things and made promises that they didn't intend on keeping, and she had passed off the Australian Ministry's claims about wanting to initiate a school of their own as one of those bigger claims before. But it seemed like they were serious about it, and they wanted Hermione's help with the planning. It was quite wonderful to see the reach this was getting, and it would be an absolutely amazing opportunity for the children in Australia as well. She was really excited to meet with her counterpart and go over all the details and procedures now.

"Sounds good," Kingsley said, and stood up to shake Hymbar's hand. He nodded briefly at Draco and Hermione, and led the dignitary outside. Their meeting had been at Draco's office, purely because Malfoy Enterprises was to be the main investor in the project.

Hermione stood up, and began gathering all the binders she had brought and muttered a quick goodbye to Draco before walking to the door. Before she could twist the knob, however, she was suddenly propelled forward and pinned to the door, and Hermione could feel Draco standing close behind her.

"Merlin, you smell so good," he whispered, nuzzling his nose against her neck.

It was happening again.

Hermione turned around in the little space, and placed a hand on his chest, ready to push him away, but he had started suckling on the side of her neck and her rational side shut down. It felt wonderful, and like before, all her reasons to stop this were forgotten the moment he touched her. The binders and her bag fell to the floor with a thud as he continued kissing her throat, unbuttoning her blouse and trailing lower to her chest. She didn't even realize that he had picked her up and walked them over to his desk, her sat on the table, and him nestled closely in the space between her legs. He freed her hair from her practical bun, and buried his fingers in the luxuriant, soft curls, at the same time pulling her head forward to kiss her deeply. She had a unique flavor, and he decided he wanted more and more. He groaned into her mouth when she opened up after his gentle prodding, and that had her flying back to reality. She pushed him away, but he immediately redirected his attentions to her chest, and for a moment, she was ready to shut her mind down and go with it, but with a decided look in her eye and a deep sigh, she pushed him away again and hopped off his desk.

"We can't do this, Draco," she breathed heavily, quickly buttoning her shirt back up.

"No one is going to come in unless I ask them to," he said with lust filled eyes, clearly having misunderstood her apprehension.

"No," she held up a hand firmly. "You and I can't do this. It's wrong."

"Why?" he asked, brows furrowed with confusion. "I enjoy it, you seem to enjoy it, and none of us are with anyone else."

"But we are friends," she argued. "And this is just not…right."

Draco ran a hand through his hair. "You didn't seem to object earlier. Is it something I've said?"

"I wasn't thinking clearly earlier, and neither were you," Hermione continued frustradely. "We aren't even going to be married in two months' time, and you have to think about the complication of all of this."

"What complication?" he was seriously confused now. This was the first he was hearing of all this.

"What if things get awkward between us? Or if our inspector finds out? You have to think of how this is going to affect Scorpius, as well," Hermione said quickly.

"Why would things get awkward?" he asked. What was she on about?

"Just," Hermione said. "We like each other as _friends_ , and all of this is too much. We can't simply act on lust or be stupid when we're drunk. There's a lot that can go wrong, and anyway, this is all just wrong. _This_ just has to stop. You agree, right?"

Draco stood still as he took in her words. Not once had he got the indication that she wasn't interested. She had taken an active role, despite the fact that it was he who had initiated both their encounters. Rationalizing it as her finally opening up as he was, he had genuinely thought she liked being with him, but he was evidently wrong.

"Right," he said shortly. "I'll see you at home."

Hermione nodded, and took a deep breath. "Thank you, Draco."

He nodded once, and went to sit down on his chair, not waiting for her to leave the office before getting back to work.

What a mess.

* * *

 **(To be continued.)**


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

 **14 October 2005**

Hermione turned over for what seemed like the hundredth time that night. For some reason, no matter how tired she was, she couldn't fall asleep for the past few nights. Thoughts about anything and everything would race through her mind, and she would finally fall asleep after hours of trying, only to be woken up by her alarm an hour later.

She couldn't pinpoint the reason, and it had led her to be frustrated, disorientated, and groggy all the time. The previous morning, Scorpius' timely intervention had prevented her from leaving the house with mismatched shoes. If he hadn't giggled and pointed, it would've caused a serious hit to her reputation at work.

In all this, she was sad that Draco was now awkward around her. He would barely meet her eyes, and when he did, there was an awkwardness in them she hated. When she had spoken to him, she had braced herself for some inevitable weirdness. After all, you can't just simply forget that you've seen someone naked and then go back to pretending that you are simply friends. However, there was a month left to this situation of theirs, and she didn't want to spend it with them flitting about avoiding the other.

She had honestly tried approaching him to casually talk multiple times. At dinner, owling him for lunch, knocking on his study after Scorpius was asleep. Each time, he had maintained conversation for about ten minutes before fumbling out an apology and excuse of work. To be fair, his office had just received the contract with the Australian version of their project and it was understandable that there would be a lot of work.

But still, she hated being in such a weird situation with her friend.

The worst part was that she couldn't even talk to anyone about it. It wasn't really the easiest situation to explain.

All she could do was to continue to try to get him to open up again.

And pay closer attention to what she was wearing to leave home.

* * *

 **15 October 2005**

"Hi, Hermione," Lila smiled from her desk.

"Hi, Lila," Hermione smiled back, and pulled out a little paper bag and handed it to Lila.

"Another one?" Lila said, peeking inside, and pulling out a blueberry scone. "If I didn't know you, I would swear you were trying to make me fat."

"Missy just makes the best pastries," Hermione sighed dreamily. "And anyway, I get two so you can share with David."

Lila waved her off absently, taking a bite of the scone. "They're too delicious to share. And I don't want David to get fat. Really, I'm doing him a service."

Hermione rolled her eyes playfully. "Sure, you are. Are there any messages I need to know about yet?"

"Hmm," Lila said, holding up a finger in a gesture for Hermione to wait. She placed her half-eaten scone on the bag it came in, and pulled out her message book. "The Minister's office owled and wanted you to set up a meeting sometime early next week about the budget hearings."

"Hmm," Hermione said, making a mental note about this task. "Anything else?"

"Well, there is one from _Mark,"_ Lila said slowly, holding the book up to her chin as she gave Hermione a rather curious look. "Asking if you'd like to have lunch tomorrow."

"Oh," Hermione replied. "I'll owl him. That's all of them?"

"Yes," Lila said, and there was a mysterious look on her face that threw Hermione off.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," Lila said, but her smile told Hermione it wasn't nothing.

"Tell me," Hermione prodded.

"Nothing," Lila emphasized. "I guess I'm just a little surprised that's still going on."

"What's still going on?" Hermione was completely lost now.

"You and Mark," Lila explained, a cheeky smile on her face.

"We're just getting lunch," Hermione said.

"I know," Lila said solemnly.

"And I get lunch with Harry and Ron," Hermione continued defensively.

"Yes," Lila said. "But your husband doesn't seethe at them like he did at Mark."

"Draco? When did he even interact with Mark long enough for you to come to that conclusion?" Hermione asked. Seriously, what was Lila on about?

"On your birthday," Lila said, her eyebrows raised. "Come on, Hermione, don't tell me you didn't notice Draco and just feel him being pulled to hex Mark?"

"I didn't!" Hermione replied exasperatedly.

"Anyone could've felt the vibes coming off Draco that day," Lila frowned. "I thought it was utterly romantic, you know. He was all possessive when another man treaded on his territory. I just love it when David behaves that way. Don't get me wrong, if he lashed out I would definitely put him in his place. But with like the little situations…I don't know, I guess it just makes me happy when he shows his feeling openly. And it kind of made me happy Draco was that covetous of you, as well. To be honest, I'd never really taken to him before. I'd never seen you both act like you were in love or anything and he _has_ always been sort of stiff around me, I suppose. But that day really showed me that he cared for you…You really didn't notice it?"

Hermione shook her head no. "I-I'm going to go start work, okay?"

Lila nodded, and went back to her scone, oblivious to the confused steps Hermione took to her office.

In her office, Hermione found it near impossible to concentrate on anything other than what Lila had just said.

Hermione was usually very perceptive of people's actions and behavior, but apparently, she had completely missed out on reading Draco. Had he really been so mad at seeing her with Mark?

Now that she thought about it, he had reacted quite badly later as well. At the time, she had thought it to be paranoia regarding the case. But was it possible that he was interested in her? Or even that he _liked_ her?

No, it couldn't be. He was Draco Malfoy, and she was Hermione Granger. They had managed to fool the world, but there was no way they could ever be in a real relationship. They were from two different worlds. Simply poles apart!

But no, that really wasn't fair to him. He had been perfectly nice to her since their reunion, and other than the occasional slip up, he had been a perfect gentleman to her. They had gotten to know small details about the other, and Hermione herself had been taken aback by how comfortable talking to him was. He was always attentive to what she was saying, asking questions when he was intrigued, or snickering when he found something funny. They had had great conversations and debates, and Hermione had greatly appreciated the intellectual stimuli and the fresh perspective on the topics she felt strongly about. They had even reached a stage where they felt comfortable teasing the other, joking around and just enjoying a lighter atmosphere with the other. He had truly become her friend now.

 _And_ the sex had been fantastic, too. Both times, he had made sure she had been sated, perhaps even more than. Hermione could not deny that it had been the hottest encounter of her life, and that every nerve in her body had been buzzing with electricity the moment he had touched her. She had been sorely tempted to give in on the day in his office, and had spent every day since feeling uneasy.

She knew what the uneasiness was now. Her body was craving his touch, and her mind had kept her away from him.

Damn it.

Her rationing from earlier disrupted her thoughts. She had ruined a great friendship before with a relationship, and it had sucked. Ron and Hermione could never even be in the same room by themselves. Neither had any idea of what to do around each other, or what to talk about. Their conversations had become limited to questions about the wellbeing of their families and general talk about work. And with Draco, the situation was so much more complicated.

There was Scorpius to consider. If they had a nasty fight or breakup, how would she face the little boy she had come to love so much? It would certainly be awkward to meet him after all this ended, and she couldn't bear the thought of not being around occasionally.

And of course, the inspections and their contract. How would it work in front of the inspector if they fought? And after their contract was up, how would it be possible for them to continue to be together if they lasted that long?

But then, all he had approached her for was sex. Was that all he wanted? And what was going on in his mind, exactly?

With a groan, she dropped her head on her desk. Why couldn't an all knowing being give her all the answers? With all the magic in the world, maybe someone needed to come up with a solution to this problem.

It was no surprise that she got no work done that day.

* * *

Hermione was super confused. She had decided that going on the way they had was just not going to be possible given her current thoughts. Talking to Draco was necessary, but every time she worked up the nerve to approach him, either something came up or she simply chickened out. So much for the famous Gryffindor courage.

She had stood outside his study for ten minutes once she had returned home from work, contemplating whether or not to knock. Her decision was never made, however, as Draco had opened the door and caught her by surprise. Fumbling out a quick excuse about forgetting some document in his study, she had confused herself and him even more than before.

Then, she had waited in her bedroom while he picked out some comfortable clothes to change into from their shared closet, trying her best to not make a tapping sound as her foot shook nervously. She had had the opportunity to say something when he had walked out and nodded at her with a small smile, and instead she had just nodded back awkwardly. Somehow, the words had gotten stuck in her throat when it came time to speak up.

She had had a whole half hour alone with him later that evening, where she could've easily initiated a conversation. Scorpius had insisted that the two sit out in the backyard as he flew his broomstick, and they had followed. She had built up the courage to say something once Scorpius was far enough not to hear anything, but the moment she turned to Draco, he had picked up the newspaper to scan through, leaving Hermione to sink back into her seat quietly. She pumped herself back up again once he had put down the paper, but Scorpius was done flying just at the moment she opened her mouth, cutting off her chance yet again.

All through dinner, Hermione kept rehearsing what she would say to him. After dinner, Draco usually took Scorpius to go to sleep, and then came back to the kitchen to get a hot drink before he went to bed. That _had_ to be the moment she went to him, Hermione had decided.

But of course, her timing was still off, as the moment she stepped into the kitchen, their fireplace rang out, and a confused Draco went to their drawing room to see who their guest was.

Hermione could've screamed at that moment, but decided to reign in the crazy and followed behind him.

"Good evening, Mr. Malfoy," Gina Hobble stood, primly dressed and looking stern as ever. "Mrs. Malfoy."

"Good evening, Ms. Hobble," Draco put on his most charming smile, but Hermione could hear the fake excitement in his voice. "Would you like something to drink?"

"No, thank you," she replied. "I take it Scorpius is asleep."

"Yes," Draco said apologetically. "We like to have him down early on school nights."

"Yes, of course," Ms. Hobble said, making a note on the clipboard Hermione wanted to smash on top of the lady's head. "We can just do your inspection today, then."

"Ours?" Hermione asked. What had they been doing all this while if it wasn't an inspection?

"Yes, yours," Ms. Hobble said shortly. "We do have to test your own relationship to ensure your capability to head a family. Can we get on with it then, Mrs. Malfoy?"

Hermione resisted the strong urge to frown, and flashed her most polite smile at the woman. She had disliked her before, but her interruption today had quite firmly put her on Hermione's "hate list".

"Please, have a seat, ma'am," Draco said, and he and Hermione took a seat opposite to the inspector.

"Right then," Ms. Hobble cleared her throat. "It's been a couple of months since you got married. How has it been so far?"

Hermione turned to look at Draco, and smiled at him when he looked at her. Honestly, it had been quite a ride, and while she had gained a hatred for adrenaline since the war, this whole situation had been rather…interesting. To put it simply, she wasn't sure she would change anything about it.

"It's been great," Draco replied, and Hermione looked at her hands in her lap.

"I have to say, however, it doesn't appear as though the two of you really are in love or that things are great."

"Pardon me?" Draco asked.

"Well, you seem awfully cold with each other, and I've never seen you show any affection toward the other. And with the questions about the suspicious timing of your wedding coinciding with the beginning of this case, you must understand why I'm bringing this up?"

Hermione wanted to punch the woman right in her stupid, smug face.

"I apologize, but I do not," Draco said, and Hermione could feel him getting into a defensive stance next to him. "Neither of us are interested in behaving intimately around other people, and we both believe that such behavior need not be publicized. I also don't understand what our level of intimacy has to do with this case. There are thousands of couples who behave like we do, and I don't think it is proper taste to discuss topics like these."

"I'm required to ask that of all my interviewees, Mr. Malfoy. But we can move on, if you wish so."

"Please," Draco said in his most polite voice, but Hermione heard the underlying snarl in his tone.

"Mr. Malfoy, on a scale of zero to ten, ten being the highest of course, how would you rate your contentment with your marriage so far?" Ms. Hobble spoke bluntly.

"Probably an eight," Draco said after a brief pause.

"Mrs. Malfoy, same question," came the command for Hermione.

"I would say a nine," Hermione chewed her lip nervously.

"I noticed you aren't in complete agreement. Why?"

Draco took the lead again. "No relationship is a hundred percent perfect, ma'am. I would say my parents only got to a ten in the last four years or so. We still have a lot to learn about each other, and get in perfect sync."

"So, you admit to not being in perfect coordination and agreement with each other at all times?" Ms. Hobble looked at them over the rim of her glasses.

"We're only being honest with you, Ms. Hobble," Hermione spoke up. "I don't think I have a perfect relationship with anyone, not even my parents. But the two of us are very willing and working hard to make sure we get there, and any disagreements we do have are away from the eyes and ears of any other individual, especially Scorpius."

"Hmm," Ms. Hobble raised her left eyebrow, before looking for the next question in her file. "Speaking of disagreements, what is it you find yourselves disagreeing about and take me through how you handle a conflict that may arise?"

"It's usually smaller things like our daily activities and preferences, much as you might find in any people living together," Draco said, and Hermione was thankful. She had no idea how to put to words their fights and arguments. "And we try our best to keep our voices down if we are in the vicinity of prying ears, and make our opinions known to the other person and giving each other the space to process and move on from a bigger situation."

"And you've had a… _bigger_ situation?" If Hermione didn't know better, she would think the inspector looked gleeful.

"Just once or twice," Draco said nonchalantly.

"Mrs. Malfoy, would you like to tell me about these situations?" Ms. Hobble asked, leaving Hermione quite taken aback.

"Well, we do work together sometimes, and there has been an unfortunate situation where some stress from that boiled over into our home life," Draco jumped in, saving Hermione from having to stumble and fudge her way through an answer. It was times like these that she envied the Slytherin penchant for being able to talk their way out of nearly anything.

"My question was directed at Mrs. Malfoy," Ms. Hobble said shortly.

"I didn't know it mattered," Draco said, straightening his back slightly. "My apologies."

Ms. Hobble nodded curtly, and stood up. "I'd like to speak to both of you individually sometime by next week. My office will be in touch with you to make appointments."

"Sure, thank you, Ms. Hobble," Draco said, and shook the woman's hand, and Hermione followed close behind.

"Good night, Mr. Malfoy. Mrs. Malfoy," Ms. Hobble said, and stepped into the fireplace, leaving the drawing room quiet, yet still full of a charged energy.

Draco pushed his hair back rather dejectedly, before turning off the fireplace for the night and moving toward his bedroom. It had been rather an exhausting day, and the stress of individual interviews was not something he needed now.

"Can you turn off the lights before you turn in for the night?" he called over his shoulder.

"Wh-oh, um, yeah, I'll do that," Hermione fumbled out in confusion.

"Thanks," he said in a low voice. "Good night."

"Draco, wait!" It seemed as though Hermione's voice had come out on its own volition, and without her even opening her mouth.

He turned around, and looked at her in wait.

She wasn't sure if it was a blessing or a curse that they would have to talk now. But they did have to.

"I, um- I just…that is to say, I…um…"

"If it's okay, can this wait till tomorrow? I'm really tired," Draco said when she continued to hem and haw, nothing meaningful being conveyed to him.

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise, and she responded with the weird combination of a nod and a head shake, standing still as he walked to his room and closed the door behind him.

No, this was all wrong.

Completely and totally wrong.

And she had had enough.

She practically ran to his room, and knocked on the door, wiping her sweaty palms on her pants.

When he didn't open after ten seconds, she knocked again. Five more seconds, and she raised her fist to knock for a third time, but the door opened. Draco stood there, wearing only a loose and open robe, and his regular pajama pants.

Words had failed her all-day long. It was time for the next and most effective method to be tried.

Draco could honestly say he never saw her literally jump at him, and kissing him with everything she had and felt. For a second he was taken aback, and he held onto her but didn't respond. Maybe even couldn't. And then she sighed against his lips, and he lost control of his logical side. She sucked on his bottom lip, and he lifted her entirely off the floor, so her legs were wrapped around him. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, and tasted the chocolate brownie she had probably snacked on after dinner, and she slipped her hands under his shirt, feeling the muscles of his back moving and rippling under her hands. It was only when he felt her scratch across his neck did he pull back, and deeply consider the woman in his arms.

She looked flushed and confused and angry, and it was an incredibly attractive look on her face. But lust had come in the way before, and he could not deal with more regret and questions.

"What is happening here?" he whispered, and his breath slightly lifted the hairs around her face.

"Isn't it obvious?" she smirked at him.

"But you said-"

"I know what I said," she said, and kissed him again. "I was just being stupid."

"Hermione Granger?" Kiss. "Gryffindor's Princess?" Kiss. "Stupid?"

She pulled away and frowned at him in displeasure. He was extremely disappointed when she pushed away and dropped her feet back to the floor, but all that dissipated the moment she walked him back to his bed, and pushed him on it, crawling over and straddling him.

"Enjoy it because it only happens once a decade," she breathed, before attaching her mouth to the side of his neck.

"I'll keep that in mind for the next time you do something stupid," Draco replied, proud of himself for being able to string together a coherent sentence when she was doing what she was doing currently.

"You do that," she said, and then yelped when he suddenly flipped them over.

"What if you decide that this was stupid tomorrow morning?" he asked, looking intently at her eyes.

"Hmm, then you better convince me that this isn't stupid tonight," she said playfully, threading her hands through his hair.

"Hermione, I'm serious."

Her gaze softened then. "I promise you I won't. I'm done with being stupid, I swear. I was just scared last time."

"And you aren't now?" he asked, even as he slipped his palms up her shirt and across her belly.

Hermione shook her head.

"Good," he said simply, and leaned down to kiss her again.

* * *

 **(tTo be continued.)**


End file.
